Maryland Congressman Introduces"No Child Left Inside" Bill

Proposed federal legislation would provide funding for environmental education programs, state ee plans and professional development

U.S. Representative John P. Sarbanes (D-MD) has introduced legislation that will provide increased federal support for state and local environmental education programs. HR 3036, the "No Child Left Inside Act of 2007," seeks to increase environmental literacy in order to augment the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Many in the formal and non-formal education and environmental education fields feel that NCLB has reduced environmental education and outdoor opportunities for students. In his open letter on the No Child Left Inside Web site, Sarbanes notes that "while No Child Left Behind was landmark legislation that brought much-needed accountability to our schools, it has also had unintended consequences. The law’s emphasis on high-stakes testing for math and reading has taken classroom time away from other subjects, including the environment. We have heard from many environmental educators frustrated that they have had to curtail or eliminate lessons in the environment. Schools have had to scale back or cancel field trips and outdoor explorations."

Provisions of this bill would:

• Require states seeking environmental education funding under No Child Left
Behind to develop and submit a K-12 plan to ensure that high school
graduates are environmentally literate. States receiving such funds would
submit status reports on how those plans are being implemented.
• Provide new funding for states to develop, improve and advance
environmental education standards.
• Provide new funding to train qualified teachers to teach environmental
education courses and programs.

The legislation is supported by a coalition of groups, including the Sierra Club, the National Wildlife Federation, Audubon and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Updates and more information can be found on the No Child Left Inside Coalition Web site.

And speaking of getting kids outside...

NC Museum of Natural Sciences to Launch National Program

"Take a Child Outside Week: September 24-30, 2007

This September, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will encourage parents, teachers and caregivers to get children outside and active. The project was inspired by a visit and discussions with Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. The Museum is developing a Web site that will feature a searchable database of activities, natural places to visit and links to organizations and agencies that are joining in with the effort. The program Web site, www.takeachildoutside.org, will also feature on online pledge for parents and caregivers. You can also visit the Museum's Web site, www.naturalsciences.org for details and updates.

NC's Soil and Water Districts Celebrate 70 Years of Service

Did you know the first Soil and Water Conservation District in the United States was in North Carolina? Hugh Hammond Bennett founded the Brown Creek Soil Conservation District in Anson County on August 4, 1937. Today, North Carolina has 96 local soil and water conservation districts and the conservation district concept is used across the nation. The Division of Soil and Water Conservation within the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources supports local districts by providing financial, technical and educational assistance.

Besides assisting local governments and residents with programs and technical assistance, NC Division of Soil and Water Conservation staff and local Soil and Water agents provide essential conservation and environmental education programs and resources to their communities, including the Envirothon, a competition which tests students knowledge of environmental science and natural resource management. In addition, the North Carolina Division of Soil and Water Conservation coordinates Project Food, Land and People, a national environmental education curriculum that focuses on the relationships between agriculture, the environment and people.

Officials from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources are planning a statewide bus tour the second week in August to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the nation’s first conservation district. Governor Mike Easley has signed a proclamation declaring Aug. 4-10 as Soil and Water Conservation Awareness Week. During the week, conservation leaders will host a tour of the state’s 96 soil and water districts. The tour will kick off on Aug. 7 in Pitt County with the annual Conservation Farm Family award.

Stops are also planned for Raleigh, Chatham County and Asheboro, where Dr. David Jones – director of the N.C. Zoo – will speak to the group. The tour winds down on August 9 in Anson County with a 70th birthday celebration lunch hosted by the Brown Creek Soil and Water Conservation District at the Hugh Hammond Bennett home site. That night, the Cabarrus Soil and Water Conservation District will host the 70th Anniversary Gala in Concord at the newly opened Cabarrus Arena and Event Center.

The Division of Soil and Water Conservation and the N.C. Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts will celebrate this milestone with special events and educational outreach throughout the year.

(Thanks to Bridget Munger, NC Division of Soil and Water Public Information Officer, for her help on this article).

North Carolina Can Boast Nation’s Top Wildlife Magazine

WRC's Wildlife in North Carolina judged best state wildlife agency magazine

RALEIGH, N.C. (July 26, 2007) – Wildlife in North Carolina, the flagship publication of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, has been named the top state wildlife magazine in the nation. The distinction came from the Association for Conservation Information, a nonprofit for natural resource, environmental and wildlife communicators, at its annual conference, held this year on July 8-13 in Lenox, Mass. A panel of judges determined that Wildlife in North Carolina was the best of those published by state wildlife agencies in 2006.

“It’s hard to go wrong when you cover a state with the diversity of natural resources and as many opportunities for nature lovers and sportsmen that North Carolina has,” said Greg Jenkins, editor of Wildlife in North Carolina. “Our talented staff and many excellent contributors work hard to accurately portray the beauty and variety of our state’s wild animals and wild places. We’re proud to receive this award.”

Wildlife in North Carolina has ranked among the top three wildlife magazines for five of the past six years, including winning three second-place awards. Montana Outdoors, which won the competition in 2004 and 2005, placed second this year, while Minnesota Conservation Volunteer was third.

To subscribe, visit www.ncwildlife.org or call toll-free at 1-866-945-3746

NC Wildlife Resources Commission Press Release and photo. Congratulations!

WINC Editor Greg Jenkins interviews a present and future sportsman.

North Carolina Parks and Recreation Announces New Lead Interpretation and Education Specialist

The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation is pleased to announce that Sean Higgins has accepted the position of Lead Interpretation and Education Specialist. This position was formerly held by Marti Kane, who is now the Program Coordinator at the Wildlife Resources Commission's Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education in Raleigh.

Sean received his BS in Biology Education from Virginia Tech and a MS in Zoology from Miami University in Ohio. He has dedicated his past 9 years to the fields of science education, conservation biology and environmental education. He may be a familiar face to some of you—most recently he worked with the 4-H program for Granville County Cooperative Extension.

Sean has designed and developed environmental education curriculum, taught science and environmental education and has been both a leader and designer of science outreach and educational programs providing hands-on learning opportunities.

In addition to being the state parks interpretation and environmental education program manager, the Sean will provide natural science and technical consultation on various interpretive and educational topics and issues. Sean will be working very closely with the State Parks Interpretation & Education Council on I&E/Environmental Education Guideline revisions and the I&E Strategic Plan. He will also work very closely with the District Interpretation and Education Specialists on visitor center and wayside exhibits, brochures, Environmental Education Learning Experiences (EELE's) and more. Sean will be located in the Archdale Building in downtown Raleigh, so he will be able to work even more closely with his colleagues in the NC Office of Environmental Education. Please join the Office of EE in welcoming Sean—you may be hearing from him soon!

Call For Proposals!

Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC) is seeking proposals for concurrent session presentations at their 17th Annual Conference, “EE for a Lifetime." This year's conference will be held October 26-28 at the Lutheridge Conference Center, Arden, NC.

EENC is the non-profit professional organization for environmental education in North Carolina. Though not affiliated with the NC Office of Environmental Education, the two groups do collaborate often and the Office of EE is an organizational member. The Office of Environmental Education encourages people to send in proposals and attend.

The EENC Conference Committee seeks proposals for workshops and concurrent session presentations that reflect either the conference theme “EE for a Lifetime” or the conference location, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western NC. Proposal deadline is August 15, 2007. Visit the EENC Web site for complete conference details.

The Call for Proposals and the Proposal Form are available on the EENC web site as well or by e-mail from Deborah Branson at Odysseynor@aol.com. Questions can also be directed to Deb Branson, EENC Education Chair, via email. Proposals will be evaluated by a team, using a rubric developed especially for this purpose.

An environmental education news round up from around the state.

School News
Updated list of environmental education related school and education articles

College News
Same as above, but from higher education

Environmental Education Center News
Stories about the EE Centers listed on www.eenorthcarolina.org!

Environmental group helps make outdoor classroom (Washington Daily Times)
Pond will be ‘showcase habitat’ for coastal creatures

Conservation key for N.C. students (Asheville Citizen Times)
High schoolers converge in Raleigh for Natural Resources Management Camp

Firm goes green on screen (Asheville Citizen Times)
Video network promotes sustainability

Developer's gift aids Chatham students, NCSU (Raleigh News and Observer)
10-plus-acres donated to be used as an open-air classroom for agricultural and environmental education

Apex to get new 160-acre park (The Cary News)
Plan includes environmental education and greenways

Bio-retention Combines Education, Rainfall and Resource Management at Franklin County School (NC Soil and Water Districts News)

Miller makes self home in House (Raleigh News and Observer)
Earmark lost for new Wake County Environmental Education Center

Horseshoe won't get community center (Raleigh News and Observer)
Update on plans for Horsehoe Farm

Informed Consumer News

The Office of Environmental Education Web site also maintains several lists of updated news articles that cover many topic areas, including farming, food, green building, rivers, outdoor recreation, energy, lawn and garden care, and more. These article posts are part of our Informed Consumer intiative. Check them out!

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2007 North American Assocation for Environmental Education Annual Conference and Research Symposium

Virginia Beach, Virginia November 13-17, 2007

The next NAAEE Conference will be "right next door" in Virginia, so we hope North Carolina can have an even better representation than ususal at this year's event.

Research Symposium: November 13-14, 2007
"Celebrating the diversity of our research methodologies: finding common ground"

Visit the NAAEE Conference pages for details and registration information.

NAAEE is the professional association for environmental education. Members promote professional excellence in nonformal organizations, K-12 classrooms, universities (both instructors and students), government agencies, and corporate settings throughout North America and in over 55 other countries. Since 1971, the Association has created opportunities for its members to improve their skills in creating and delivering programs and services that teach people how to think, not what to think.

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