UNDER OUR FEET: AVENUES FOR PROMOTING KARST GROUNDWATER AWARENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Karst terrains are distinctive landscapes, characterized by springs, caves, sinkholes, and aquifers. The rapid transport of percolating water through karst and inability of carbonate bedrock to effectively filter pollution from water lends these terrains to extensive environmental degradation and makes groundwater in karst regions highly vulnerable to pollution. Additionally, rapid industrial, agricultural, and/or urban growth in karst regions has raised concerns about future groundwater availability in these locations. In an effort to promote karst groundwater awareness and encourage its sustainable use, a multi-year groundwater awareness campaign was launched in 2011 in two iconic karst landscapes, west-central Florida and south-central Kentucky, wherein water availability and groundwater quality are becoming increasing concerns. Since informal learning allows for both adult members of the general public and children to be simultaneously educated about a particular topic, this campaign combines the use of multiple informal learning tools including interpretative signs, webpages, infographics, workshops, open community forums, social media, and multi-media productions. Since the launch of the campaign, more than 100 ‘likes’ have been received on its Facebook page, nearly 100 participants were hosted at two workshops, a short teleprompter video has aired at a Western Kentucky University sports venue, and 3 infographics were developed and distributed. To date, knowledge surveys, pledges submitted by visitors to the campaign webpage, and public support and requests for additional educational materials indicate these efforts have been successful at enhancing public understanding of karst groundwater issues and spurring behavioral and attitudinal changes in members of the general public. Research on the contribution and consequences of combining the use of multiple informal education tools into a single education initiative that demonstrates the interconnectedness of karst systems and groundwater supplies to affective domain change and learning outcomes are also being pursued as part of this educational campaign.