Teaching a Professional Writing class for Environmental Studies students allows for use of a variety of disciplines; both Environmental Studies and Writing Studies are interdisciplinary fields.  This presentation focuses on a pilot student project to anticipate challenges associated with a call to re-introduce Grizzly Bears to the state of California. In 2014 the Center for Biological Diversity began advocating for the return of Ursus arctos horribilis to California.

Students began by reading and discussing a communication case study regarding the Gray Wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park (Jacobson, 1999). Then students were challenged to research present-day assessments of the wolf and grizzly reintroductions in Yellowstone National Park. Conservation biology and history were their main sources at that point.

Besides historical records and recent assessments, students then used insights from environmental psychology to anticipate challenges. Students read a variety of articles focused on communicating climate change, specifically the communication strategy and practice used with different “frames” to address fearful denial. According to conservation biologist Susan Jacobson, while biologically the reintroduction of the Gray Wolf to Yellowstone was a success, in terms of community response, it was not a success. This assignment specifically invites students to think about the psychology of the human community and how a communication plan could assist in a more positive enlargement of the community.

Along with their 20-30-page collaborative communication proposal, students created related deliverables: a slogan for the campaign, an informational brochure, a news release, a suggested website page for Yosemite National Park, and a 15-minute presentation on some aspect of grizzly bear reintroduction to Yosemite. These deliverables benefitted from the insights of Professional Writing, a sub-field of Writing Studies.

Samples of this assignment and its grading rubric, along with several student communication proposals and related deliverables, will be available with my presentation.