Jeff Morris - Management, Media and Resource Strategies

Public Outreach for Trinity River

jeffwmo — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:33:20 +0000

As a contractor for the Trinity County Resource Conservation District, Jeff Morris is working as the public relations project lead for a highly visible Federal river restoration project partnership.

Current activity includes:

Significant advocacy outreach to local, state, federal, and tribal government stakeholders with strategies ranging from face to face diplomacy, to traditional media communications, to a robust social media presence.
Facilitating community sensing and integrating feedback collected into program / processes
Synthesizing feedback into a risk assessment that informs
communications strategies to restore/retain trust among local, state and national stakeholders.

To see the developing community web presence go to TrinityRiver.Org

For more information about the Trinity River Restoration Program go to www.trrp.net

Weaverville Community Forest

jeffwmo — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 00:07:46 +0000

Jeff Morris was an early proponent and steering committee member of this innovative and successful community forestry project. This award-winning (Department of Interior – Partners in Conservation Award, 2009) stewardship agreement via the Bureau of Land Management, allowing sustainable harvesting of local timber resources in a pilot 1,000-acre program has been lauded as “our region’s finest model of collaborating to bridge ideological chasms” (Redding Record Searchlight, August 2009).

Jeff Morris and the other members of the steering committee facilitated collaboration between the local timber industry and environmental interests, with strong outreach to local community members. The project’s success has expanded to an additional 12,000 acres of adjoining United States Forest Service land within the Weaverville basin.

Click Here for additional information.

CSAC Climate Change Task Force

jeffwmo — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 02:49:49 +0000

During 2007, then Trinity County Supervisor Jeff Morris, along with Napa County Supervisor Dianne Dillon, led an extremely diverse group of stakeholders to develop a landmark statewide climate change policy for all 58 of California’s counties.

Driven by California’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, this task force was created to develop effective policy while accounting for the unique challenges of all California’s counties, urban, suburban and rural. Policy development communication included interaction and communication with a wide swath of stakeholders including the State Attorney General, representatives from the Governor’s office, the California State Legislature and a wide variety of participants from the public and private sectors.

This successful effort was the first climate change policy approved by all counties in a single state. Jeff Morris and Supervisor Dillon were both honored with the CSAC Circle of Service award for their efforts.

CA Counties Adopt Climate Change Policy.pdf

Trinity Hospital Transition

jeffwmo — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 02:33:54 +0000

During his years on the Trinity County Board of Supervisors, Jeff Morris led the county team to transition Trinity’s county-owned hospital facility to an independent health care district. This award-winning project (CSAC Challenge Award, 2007) required multiple pieces of special legislation, hands-on management of hospital organization and consistent management of media relations and public relations strategies.

The newly formed district, Mountain Communities Health Care District has successfully paid down previously accumulated debt and continues to improve the organization and service delivery.

Municipal Electric Vehicle Program

jeffwmo — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 23:57:34 +0000

In conjunction with the Trinity County Resource Conservation District, Jeff Morris developed a marketing/development plan for a local electric utility that focused on replacing existing fossil fueled vehicles from the fleets of local schools and municipalities with EVs.

This project included vehicle manufacturer research, federal and state funding analysis and local outreach to municipal partners/clients and market demand analysis and planning. The plan was delivered to local sponsoring electric utility and is awaiting implementation.

Branding & New Media Strategy – The Watershed Center

jeffwmo — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 23:54:56 +0000

Working with another consultant, Jeff Morris facilitated the communications strategy update for this rural area natural resource based non-profit .

This included -

Updating Brand Identity: Working closely with organization staff and professional designer to discuss brand identity including how to communicate the mission through graphics.

Website 2.0: Complete overhaul of website to include an extremely user friendly but powerful dashboard for easy updates

Social Networking: Development of Facebook presence

Email Automation: Integration of automated email list and newsletter interface

Commitment to Training: Six month post project training commitment for staff on all new media tools

Project Website – www.TheWatershedCenter.com

Rural Electric Vehicle Charging Station Network

jeffwmo — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 20:41:35 +0000

In coordination with a number of regional Resource Conservation and Development Councils, Jeff Morris developed a plan for a regional network of electric vehicle charging stations in conjunction with the Chico State Institute of Sustainability. Although successful in securing $ 700,000 in matching funds from the California Energy Commission, the base federal grant application was unsuccessful. This plans for the project are still in process and will likely be revisited soon.

WeavervilleInfo.com

jeffwmo — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 00:24:01 +0000

Jeff Morris and his business partner developed and manage this local information website. In 2009 they also integrated social networking strategy to include Facebook and have subsequently acquired over 2,000 plus members to date. Site traffic continues to build and generate passive revenue. Town and website were also recently featured on Huell Howser’s Road Trip, airing on public TV stations throughout California.

In January of 2012, Weavervilleinfo played a significant role in assisting an online campaign for America’s Coolest Small Town. Sponsored by Fromer’s Budget Travel, this effort resulted in Weaverville placing 3rd out of over 400 small towns nominated nationwide and 1st West of the Mississippi.

Project website: www.WeavervilleInfo.com

Climate Solutions University

jeffwmo — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:04:01 +0000

Jeff Morris is currently directing communications and community relations for this national non-profit project. This innovative on-line educational campus provides rural forested communities with the strategies, tools and hands-on training they need to adapt to our rapidly changing climate. CSU’s parent organization, the Model Forest Policy Program (MFPP), is a national nonprofit dedicated to forest stewardship and sustainable forestry practices.

Project Website: www.mfpp.org/csu

View Completed Adaptation Plans: http://www.mfpp.org/?page_id=689

Biomass Energy Strategy for the North Coast

jeffwmo — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:01:12 +0000

Jeff Morris was the lead consultant for the development of a small-scale renewable energy strategy for the North Coast Integrated Regional Water Management Planning area, a 7 County region in Northern California.

The analysis comprises ecological, economic, social and institutional policy components and includes the compilation and annotation of relevant research materials, infrastructure and regulatory analysis, map development and 30+ personal interviews with a sampling of stakeholders; local, regional and national.

Although specific to the biomass sector, this report also provides decision makers with a viable path for not only ecologically sustainable biomass energy development but also documents pathways for regional renewable energy development overall within a context of local equity, environmental health and economic stability.

The completed report is available at the link below.

North Coast Energy Independence & Emissions Reduction