For the past several years I've tried to speak out for a natural area which is suffering heavy use and abuse, and which has been effectively abandoned by the state agency responsible for its preservation.
Unfortunately, those of us who care the most about natural areas aren't always their best advocates. This is especially true for those of us with no talent for public speaking and no training in professional advocacy. So I would appreciate any recommendations for workshops or seminars along these lines--programs designed to help scientists become effective advocates for these places that we love. I have the awareness, the commitment and the grim energy to pursue my concerns; what I need are the tools and a practical understanding of how to use them in the public sphere. I would be most interested in programs in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic, although I'm open to all options. Please send me any suggestions off-list, with my thanks in advance. I'll gladly post a compilation of replies. - J. A.