Designing effective communications aimed at climate change adaptation has proven to be one of the most challenging problems that humans face. However, there exist strategies tied to communities of interest that hold great potential for inducing resilience and sustainability as this planet warms beyond 2 degrees centegrade. In this review article, we provide representative examples of how one organization, Trout Unlimited, focuses on the conservation of trout populations in the United States and uses place-based framing to leverage other pragmatic considerations that may significantly mitigate some of the problems faced by climate change communicators. This case study illustrates how Trout Unlimited's public outreach reflects some best practices of effective climate change messaging by situating risks in a local context, evoking emotional responses to place-based threats, describing how other members normally behave, showing the immediate gains to be had through conservation actions, and targeting specific values shared within the organization.
Cantrill, J; Budesky, R; Burroughs, B
Home waters run deep: leveraging place perception and trout conservation to promote climate change adaptation
Human Dimensions Of Wildlife