The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Land Protection

This thesis examines the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in addressing environmental crises related to land protection through effective communication strategies. Through collaboration and coordination among non-governmental organizations, public relations practitioners within NGOs play a pivotal role in information exchange of scientific expertise and environmental policies with the public, while using organizational frameworks to tailor messaging to address policymakers’ motivations to a shared goal of protecting the environment. The findings of this study highlight NGOs’ need for public relations practitioners to engage in consistent relationship building and management practices, while emphasizing the necessity of formal and informal communication strategies to broaden the reach of campaigns and to raise awareness about land protection efforts. Keywords: Non-profit organization(s), NGO(s), ENGO(s), public relations, communications, Greenbelt, Trans Mountain pipeline, land conservation, land protection, activism, advocacy, agricultural protection, community relations, urban development, housing, crisis communications, situational crisis communications theory (SCCT), framing theory, agenda-setting theory