NC DENR Hosts Environmental Education Forum

On February 11th and 12th, more than 100 Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) employees from 23 divisions gathered at the Summit Environmental Education Center at Haw River State Park for the first Environmental Education Forum in the department’s history. While DENR employees have always played an active role in other environmental education meetings and initiatives, this was the first environmental education function solely aimed at DENR staff.

"The purpose of the forum was two-fold. We wanted to better inform all of DENR about the great EE programs that already exist in the department, and we also wanted to encourage more collaboration on EE programs--between internal DENR divisions, and also between DENR educators and the greater environmental education community in North Carolina," notes Lisa Tolley, Director of the DENR Office of Environmental Education. “I believe the forum accomplished these goals."

The EE Forum was the brainchild of Chief Deputy Secretary Bill Laxton and Haw River State Park Superintendent Sue McBean, who discussed the idea after a DENR Manager's Forum. Laxton felt that a meeting of DENR environmental educators was timely. “Our staff provides a significant amount of environmental education experiences for teachers, students and the public. Environmental education is critical for increasing our state’s environmental literacy and the department views that as its top priority,” notes Laxton.

As Laxton says, environmental education is one of the DENR’s seven strategic directions, and several of the department's natural resource agencies and attractions (the NC Zoo, Museum of Natural Sciences, Aquariums, Educational State Forests and State Parks) have environmental educators on staff. Some of DENR's regulatory divisions have educators on staff as well. In addition, DENR's Office of Environmental Education serves as an information clearinghouse for the department as well as the citizen's of the state, provides support and consultation to DENR environmental educators, manages the NC Environmental Education Certification program and provides input on state and national curriculum standards. The office also coordinated the forum.

The forum included participation by internationally and nationally recognized experts on environmental education. The keynote was delivered Elin Kelsey, a noted author, consultant and adjunct professor of Environmental Education and Communications at Royal Roads University in Canada. Dr. Kelsey was followed by Dr. Chris Ohana, professor of Science Education at Western Washington University and the current the Field Editor for Science and Children, a National Science Teachers' Association publication. Ohana authored the widely read and well-received editor's note (April/May 2007,) Looking at Environmental Education, which reexamined the relationship between science education and environmental education.

Dr. Elin Kelsey. Photos by Pat Bello, DENR DAQ.

The event closed with a touching and motivational call to action by Tom Earnhardt, respected author, naturalist and the producer, writer and host of the UNC-TV television series, Exploring North Carolina. Other activities at the forum included sessions lead by Dr. John Wear, Director of the Catawba College Center for the Environment; Dr. Eleanor Hasse, Secondary Science Consultant, NC Department of Public Instruction; Randy Senzig, Science Teacher, Fuquay Varina High School; Peggy Sloan, Education Curator, NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher and Mike Newton-Ward, Social Marketing Consultant with the NC Division of Public Health. The forum also featured a panel entitled Non-formal Education: Forging Environmental Connections and Ecological Literacy which featured Lewis Ledford, Director, NC Division of Parks and Recreation; Dr. David Jones, Director, NC Zoological Park; Dr. Betsy Bennett, Director, NC Museum of Natural Sciences; David Griffin, Director, NC Aquariums and Lisa Tolley, Director, NC Office of Environmental Education. The panel was moderated by Bill Crowell, Director of the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program.

The employees that attended agree that there is a renewed sense of mission and a new dedication to partnerships, both inside and outside of DENR. Attendees were asked at the end of the conference what they planned to do after the event. Here are a few responses:

• "Work on recruiting and hiring more racially diverse environmental education staff members; Communicate with partners more; Build in more social marketing."
• "Use conversations more and not “lectures” so much; Explore new audiences--we don’t do enough for adults, minorities, faith-based organizations; Learn more about other DENR division programs and resources so I can collaborate more."
• "Get in touch with DENR folks in my area and start collaborating with them more. Schedule more environmental education programs and sustainability programs."

DENR plans to continue discussions and strategize on how to increase interdepartmental cooperation and partnerships on environmental education workshops and programs, and also plans to share the information gathered and lessons learned at the EE Forum with outside partners. Presentations from the forum and links to articles are now available on the EE Forum Web site at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/eeforum_agenda.html.

North Carolina Scores Four Grants From National
Project Learning Tree Program

RALEIGH, NC – Project Learning Tree® (PLT), the environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation has announced Greenworks! grant recipients. Four projects across North Carolina were awarded significant grant money. “There were over 70 applications submitted to the national office,” stated North Carolina PLT Coordinator, Renee Strnad. “I am thrilled that four projects in North Carolina were deemed worthy of grant status. These funds are crucial to forwarding environmental education in our state and in our schools.”

The grants were awarded from Project Learning Tree’s GreenWorks! program, which funded a total of 36 projects. The four projects awarded GreenWorks! grants in North Carolina are as follows:

Evergreen Community Charter School, Asheville, Expeditionary Learning Trail Middle school students will help design and construct a nature and fitness trail on the school campus. Project coordinator is Stuart Miles, Evergreen Community Charter School faculty member.
The Forest Foundation, Inc., Durham, Canola Project Environmental science students at NC School of Science and Mathematics will research canola as a sustainable oilseed crop. They will develop and test a hands-on curriculum on “Oilseed Crops and Biofuels” for high school science students. Project coordinator is Marc Dreyfors with the Forest Foundation, Inc., in cooperation with Dr. Marion Brisk, faculty member at the NC School of Science and Mathematics.
NC Cooperative Extension Service, Onslow County Center, Jacksonville, Deppe Park Tree Trail Local gardeners and middle school students will plant native trees and shrubs and improve the Deppe Park trail. Melissa Evans-Brunner, Environmental and Agriculture Program Assistant with Onslow County Cooperative Extension, is the project coordinator.
Wiley Elementary International Studies Magnet School, Raleigh, Natural Learning Classroom Garden Students will develop a garden with native plants, as well as build a composting area, weather station, and other demonstration areas. Project coordinator is Sarah Palmer, Wiley Elementary International Studies Magnet School faculty member.

For more information about GreenWorks!, and a complete list of Project Learning Tree’s GreenWorks! grants awards, visit www.plt.org or contact Vanessa Bullwinkle, Director of Operations and Marketing, 202.463.2472, vbullwinkle@plt.org. For more information about PLT in North Carolina, contact Renee Strnad, North Carolina State University, 919.515.5518 or renee_strnad@ncsu.edu.

Project Learning Tree (PLT) is the environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation. PLT provides educators with comprehensive environmental education curriculum resources that can be integrated into lesson plans for all grades and subject areas. PLT teaches students “how to think, not what to think” about complex environmental issues, and helps students learn the skills they need to make sound choices about the environment.

Developed in 1976, PLT has an international network of more than 500,000 trained educators using PLT materials that cover the total environment. The American Forest Foundation, a nonprofit conservation and education organization, works for healthy forests, quality environmental education, and informed decision-making about our communities and our world.

NC Graduation Projects: A great opportunity for students and the environment

Beginning with the class of 2010, students who wish to graduate from a North Carolina public high school must complete a graduation project. The North Carolina Graduation Project includes four components: a research paper, a product, a portfolio and an oral presentation. In an effort to assist students who are interested in pursuing an environmental topic for their project, the Office of Environmental Education offers several resources and encourages environmental educators, environmental education centers, organizations and businesses to partner with local students.

In order to facilitate these partnerships with students, the Office of Environmental Education has created a NC Graduation Project Support page on their Web site, www.eenorthcarolina.org. The site has listings of individuals and organizations across the state who are willing to act as mentors on student projects, as well as possible project ideas. Mentors are listed by environmental topic area and by county.

The office has also included a link to the new North Carolina Student Projects in the Earth and Environmental Sciences blog. This blog supports students and their teachers in creating, planning, implementing and reporting the results of research and service projects, including high school graduation projects. Students and teachers can share their ideas, questions, problems and successes through the blog and help all students improve their projects as well as everyone's understanding of this Earth and its environment. The NC Student Projects blog is monitored by high school science teachers and the Office of Environmental Education.

Finally, for those who are interested in mentoring a student through their graduation project experience on an environmental topic, there is also a survey individuals can complete to have their contact information and area of expertise listed on the Mentor pages.

For questions or suggestions about these resources, please contact Sarah Yelton at 919-733-0711 or sarah.yelton@ncmail.net. The address for the NC Graduation Support Page is http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/gradproject.html.

Have you visited the new Parks and Recreation Web site?

The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation has unveiled a redesigned and expanded Web site and established a new Web address at www.ncparks.gov.

The new site retains all the information about the state parks system and related programs of the division as well as new features that should appeal to visitors and parks system partners and stakeholders. “In this era of internet communications, an organization’s Web site is a critical tool for connecting with the public and for reflecting the organization’s purpose and mission,” said Lewis Ledford, division director. “This redesigned site broadens the state parks system’s presence on the internet and is a solid foundation for more improvements in years to come.” The division’s site was last redesigned in 2002.

The new site was developed by Ed King, who retired in 2005 from the Information Technology program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Tom Howard, a retired interpretation and education specialist with the division who was largely responsible for developing and maintaining the site since its launch in 1995.

Howard has created ways to integrate the site with several of the division’s existing databases, and that has resulted in more sophisticated Web-based tools.
For instance, there are portals to the division’s popular Natural Resource Inventory Database, which keeps track of important species and habitats in the parks. And, this type of database management allows for staff directories and similar lists to remain current.

Individual parks can make “real time” changes to select areas of the Web site for such information as trail closures and changes in operating hours.
New portions of the site are meant to offer a broader picture of all the division’s work, giving higher profile to such programs as trails, natural resource management, federal and state grants, long-range planning and the design and development of new parks and park facilities.

There is new information about jobs in the state parks system and in the administrative branches of the division. And, there are “Frequently Asked Question” sections aimed at park visitors and the media. Attention was given to presenting more complete and clear information about park regulations and fees.
The individual state park sites also include a “Sights and Sounds” feature where parks can post photos, video and audio segments and detailed information about park-specific features and programs.

Environmental Education Quotable...

"We must be diligent in our efforts to keep California at the forefront of environmental protection and resource efficiency, improving our surroundings and making our state a better place to live and visit. "Environmental education in our K-12 school system will prepare California's young people to be knowledgeable citizens, make informed decisions about California's future and ensure a clean, healthy and secure outlook for our state."

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, quoted at the Heal the Bay Bring Back the Beach Ball, June 2007. (Malibu Times, 06-06-2007)

NC Beautiful Turns 40

NC Beautiful is celebrating its 40th anniversary of providing environmental education and beautification opportunities that elevate the quality of life of North Carolinians. The organization was chartered in 1967 as part of Governor Dan K. Moore's pledge to emphasize preserving the physical beauty of North Carolina.

In his speech at the Governor's Conference on Beautification in Raleigh on April 8, 1966, Governor Moore said, "Let us work together to make [North Carolina] a more beautiful state and to bring about its full potential development." NC Beautiful Executive Director, Steve Vacendak, says that after 40 years, the organization's vision and mission have remained the same-to empower the citizens of North Carolina to perpetuate the natural beauty of the state.

"The purpose of NC Beautiful is much more than merely keeping our state looking pretty," explains Vacendak. "It's educating our young people about the importance of good environmental stewardship. It's evoking change through community partnerships. It's instilling a sense of pride and ownership in our citizens. That's what Governor Moore intended 40 years ago and what we'll continue to do today and tomorrow."

The goal behind Governor Moore's vision was to use the gifts North Carolina was blessed with-its natural resources, scenery, climate, and the physical variety ranging from the coast to the mountains-to provide quality of life benefits for its citizens. That vision became NC Beautiful's mission: To foster environmental stewardship through education and outreach to perpetuate the natural beauty of North Carolina.

In the early 70s, NC Beautiful focused on promotional and educational activities that would improve the state's visual and physical environment. As the organization continued to grow through the 70s and into the 80s, it initiated programs aimed at enhancing the state's visual appeal, preserving natural resources, and educating children and adults on how they could impact environmental quality. Programs like the Clean Community System to fight litter, Adopt-A-Highway, Take Pride in the Carolinas, and the School Beautification Awards all helped create awareness and action. In the 90s, its focus broadened to include programs addressing environmental literacy issues such as waste management, environmental protection, and preservation of natural resources.

Today, NC Beautiful concentrates on hands-on programs designed to encourage and empower active involvement by all North Carolinians. Programs such as Windows of Opportunity Grants, the Environmental Scholars Program, the Moore Fellowship Program and the Annual Azalea Celebration, have become organization and community standards.

Since its inception in 1967, NC Beautiful has awarded more than 200,000 azalea plants to over 2,500 non-profit organizations statewide; has enhanced the natural beauty of hundreds of acres on the grounds of schools, churches, parks, greenways, public rights-of-way, and community and senior centers across North Carolina; has awarded grants of empowerment to K-12 teachers to create hands-on environmental programs in their classrooms across the state; and has awarded graduate and undergraduate scholarships to students in all corners of the state of North Carolina in order to raise environmental awareness.

Vacendak adds that NC Beautiful has made significant contributions to the state's environment and the future is bright for the state and its citizens. "The next generation of young stewards are well on their way to perpetuating the natural beauty of North Carolina," says Vacendak. "Any visit into our classrooms across the state will instill a sense of confidence and hope for all of us who care about this special place called North Carolina."

For more information on NC Beautiful programs, visit www.ncbeautiful.org or call 919-828-3190.

No Child Left Inside Act Update

Last year, Representative John P. Sarbanes and Senator Jack Reed introduced H.R. 3036 and S.1981, companion bills known as the "No Child Left Inside Act of 2007." The Act would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize states to use federal funds for environmental education programs. This is the first time in several years that significant environmental education-related bills have been introduced in Congress.

Both bills are still sitting in their respective House and Senate Committees
(House Committee on Education and Labor and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions). H.R. 3036 currently has 40 co-sponsors in the House, and the companion bill, S.1981, has 13 co-sponsors in the Senate. Currently, Representative Bob Etheridge is the only cosponsor from the North Carolina Congressional delegation. For updates on the bills and a list of the co-sponsors, go to the H.R.3036 and S.1981 summary pages on the U.S. Congressional Library THOMAS site.

Members of the No Child Left Inside Coalition are encouraging the public to contact their legislators and ask them to support these measures. News updates, details about the Coalition, its members and the history behind these bills are available on the NCLI Coalition Web site.

EE News Clips!
An environmental education news round up from around the state.

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

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

College News
Same as above, but from higher education

Research and Resources on EE, Learning, and Behavior
Latest articles, reports and peer-reviewed literature on the benefits of environmental education

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