Aquatic Invasive Species Behavior

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2013

Hennepin County implemented a project to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS). The project uses principles of community‐based social marketing to encourage boaters to perform AIS prevention actions at a county‐operated public boat access. Research was conducted to identify the barriers boaters face too taking these preventative actions as well as into proven techniques to motivate behavior change. Based on the research findings, new signage, lights, therrmoplastic pavement mar kings and a centralized location for waste, recycling and leftover bait/bait water were installed. The signage and infrastructure changes encourage boaters too take appropriate actions in a designated area using prompts to reinforce the desired behavior. Follow‐up observations show that the signage and prompts have successfully changed behavior. Boats and trailers entering the water with attached weeds decreased from 24 percent to 1.3 percent, boats entering with the drain plug installed decreased from 18 percent to 9 percent, and 91percent of boaters used the designated area to prepare their boats for leaving. In 2013, additional prompts will be installed to reinforce the message that the AIS prevention behaviors are the social norm.