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ForthelastfouryearstheTorontoZoosAdopt-A-PondprogrammehasappliedtheprocessandtoolsofCommunity-BasedSocialMarketingCBSMtodevelopandimplementconservationprogramsforturtleswithLakeAssociationsinOntario.ThisendeavormadepossiblethroughsupportfromEnvironmentCanadasHabitatStewardshipProgramresultedinthepilotoftheHealthyWaterHealthyWildlifeinitiativein2011.AttheonsetofthisinitiativeAdopt-A-Pondsurveyedturtlebiologiststoidentifyactionsthatwouldmostbenefittherecoveryofspeciesatriskturtles.Subsequentlywaterfrontpropertyownerswereidentifiedasaparticularlyimportanttargetgroupforturtleconservationprogramming.Recognizingthevaluableroletheycanplayinaddressingthethreatsofbothhabitatlossanddegradationaseriesoffocusgroupsandsurveyswithcottagerswerecarriedouttobetterunderstandpersonalvaluesandpossiblebarrierstoenvironmentalstewardshipactionforwaterfrontpropertyowners.Theresultwasinvaluableinformationregardingaudienceneedsandwantsimportantadvertisingmessagesandlikelihoodofadoptionofspecificconservationbehaviours.UsingthisknowledgeofwhatourparticipantsvaluedDivingintoLakeStewardshiptoSaveTurtlesmostapilotprogramwasdevelopedandimplementedwiththreelakecommunities.TheseprogrammesweredevelopedinpartnershipwithFrenchPlanningServicesCentreforSustainableWatershedsandtheFederationofOntarioCottagersAssociations.TheprimarygoaloftheHealthyWaterHealthyWildlifeinitiativeistogivelakecommunitiestheinformationthattheydesireaboutmaintainingwaterqualitylocalwildlifespeciesandhabitatsandtoensurethattheyhaveaframeworkforconservationinplacethatisconsistentwiththeirvaluesandneeds.Toachievethisafacilitatedfocusgroupsessionisheldoneachlakeandcommunitymembersareaskedtoworktogethertocreateawildlifestrategyandassociatedlistofstewardshipactionsthattheyseeasvaluabletothelake.OfthewildlifestrategiesdevelopedduringthepilotstagerecommendedprojectsrangedfromshorelineassessmentstospeciesinventoriestoeducationalhikesandworkshopforkidstohavinglocalwetlandsdesignatedasProvinciallySignificant.Whilelakecommunitieswereworkingtodeveloptheiractionplanswetlandbiologistsmadevisitstoeachlaketoidentifyimportantwetlandsandspeciesatriskhabitat.TheresultingmapsarethenusedbyboththelakecommunityandAdopt-A-Pondtosetprioritiesforconservationandlandownerstewardshipactions.Beyondthisthemapsprovidethecommunitywithimportantanddesiredinformationabouttheirlakeandthevaluableroleitplaysinsupportingbiodiversity.NowwithcontinuedsupportfromtheTorontoZooandourstewardshippartnerorganizationseachlakeisworkingtowardstheirownstewardshipgoalsandengagingthelocalcommunitytoachievetheirobjectives.WeslowlycontinuetoaddnewlakesintoourprogramandhelpotherstohaveaninfluentialroleinhelpingOntariosturtlesonehealthylakeatatime.IfyourlakehasaninterestinstartingsomeactivewildlifestewardshipcheckoutourcitizenscienceprogrammesOntarioTurtleTallyandFrogWatchOntario.Youcanfindmoreinformationonallofourinitiativesonourwebsitewww.torontozoo.caadoptapondFEDERATIONOFONTARIOCOTTAGERSASSOCIATIONS13fromFOCAspartnersatAdopt-a-PondTurtlenestrestorationprojectGreaterBobsCrowLakesAssoc2012