Circular Efforts

This conjecture looks at how ODNR can create a circular business model to recruit the aid of part visitors and turn invasive species into sellable products to help fund efforts for invasive species control. This concept is based on the idea that various invasive species offer resources that can turn harmful species into a source of profit, providing much needed resources for the department.

The diagram above shows the general flow for the system, starting with the presence of potentially profitable species, in this case, autumn olive. Park visitors can be encouraged to harvest these plants and bring them to the administration at the park, where they can be accounted for and prepped for processing. Various products can be created and then sold to generate profit for the department, which can be circularly spent to fund conservation efforts, or even help control the very species being harvested. Visitor participation can be driven by offering credit or discounts on various ODNR services, like hunting, fishing, or camping permits, creating a source of incentive.

While this system may work in concept, there are a number of barriers that create difficulty for its deployment. Inconsistent participation, lack of sales, and even outsourcing production are all real issues that could limit this concept, but I believe the core idea of capitalizing on profitable invasives could be a viable and workable model depending on the final format.

References

Vizcom. (2026). Vizcom (Sketch-to-render AI tool) [Image generation software]. https://www.vizcom.com