In celebration of American Wetlands Month, EPA has created a new countdown widget, which can easily be shared and embedded on your Web site(s). The widget automatically counts down the days left before May 1st, the official start of American Wetlands Month. Once May 1st comes, the widget changes to say “May is American Wetlands Month   Learn! Explore!  Take Action!”  The widget hot links to EPA’s American Wetlands Month Web page. By using it on your site, you will help publicize American Wetlands Month and drive traffic to the site.

Web masters can simply copy and paste the html code from http://tinyurl.com/3935qyh and place it on their own Web page where they want the widget to appear. A widget is simply a piece of Web code that allows people to provide useful information in a “sharable” format. Try out this new social media tool today!

For more information on American Wetlands Month visit:
www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/awm/

For other timely Watershed News, go to http://tinyurl.com/3xeo8d2

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I’m sure it’s not the first time Facebook has been used as a tool for public testimony, but it’s the first I’ve heard of it. In the January 6, 2010 Walton Reporter (not online), an article discusses the State University of New York holding forums as part of the SUNY-wide strategic planning process.  These forums address the university’s future direction and role for the State of New York, and include gathering observations, suggestions, ideas, comments and engaging a wide range of stakeholders. Here’s where Facebook comes in. If you can’t attend the hearings, you can provide direct input through Facebook, and input provided in this way will be accepted throughout the entire strategic planning process. Any input received before the start of the strategic forum will be read aloud, time permitting. To submit this input, utilize the “Discussions” tab at www.facebook.com/generationsuny. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of this, but SUNY is to be congratulated for indeed making use of available tools, giving more people a voice. Now the next question is will these comments (indeed any forum comments) be taken seriously? All too often the public process is perfunctory and the powers that be are merely going through the motions. But that’s another story. Additional info regarding SUNY’s strategic planning process is available at www.suny.edu.

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The past several years have seen an explosion of social media tools and applications. How can they be applied and help birders (and other outdoor enthusiasts or frankly anyone)? Well, Gunnar Engblom, blogger, owner, manager and guide of Kolibri Expeditions, is willing to share his knowledge with you for free! There are no strings attached. Check it out and sign-up. I did!

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