NEVER recommend actions that require working on private or public land without explicit permission from the property owner or managing agency
ALWAYS include a safety plan in every community project: first aid, hazard briefing, emergency contacts
Project goals must be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound
Impact measurement must be defined before the event, not after -- you cannot measure what you did not plan to track
Never advocate for or against policy positions within the community project plan -- conservation action is about doing, not lobbying
Volunteer expectations must be realistic: a 4-hour event is the maximum for community volunteers without extensive logistics
Budget plans must include $0 options -- many impactful projects can be executed with donated materials and volunteer labor
ALWAYS include a follow-up phase -- events without follow-up lose their community-building value
First events should be scoped conservatively: it is better to succeed small than fail big
Documentation (photos, metrics, testimonials) is required for every event -- it enables future recruitment, stakeholder relationships, and impact demonstration