Photos as part of the planning and communication process

Preparing an environmental plan has many benefits including: illustrating how environmental conservation activities complement one another, paving the way for improved property management, facilitating communications about environmental stewardship, helping managers set goals and objectives, and providing a means to evaluate progress.  The environmental plan process should begin with a site assessment and an important part of this process is taking pictures.  Pictures provide a visual record of projects, help communicate your plans, and help promote your work. 

Pictures provide excellent documentation of your stewardship activities and can be used as an educational tool for both your patrons and the general public.  The most effective photographs are before and after pictures, taken from the same vantage point, of various projects, such as naturalization, garden improvements, water enhancements, or facility improvements.  Photographs of people in action working on various projects will also help you tell your story in a personable way.  Photographs allow you to show others not only the progress you have made, but also the aesthetic value of stewardship projects. 

Photo credit: 
Before and after pictures of lake littoral shelf plantings at The Everglades Club, Palm Beach, FL