About Certification

What is Environmental Education Certification?

The North Carolina Environmental Education Certification Program encourages professional development in environmental education and acknowledges educators committed to environmental stewardship. This program establishes standards for professional excellence in environmental education for formal and non-formal educators.

The goals of the Environmental Education Certification Program are to increase environmental literacy, provide practice in environmental education teaching methods and foster community leadership. The program enhances the ability of educators and organizations to provide quality programs and resources, benefitting local communities while investing in the future of North Carolina's environment.

Individuals who elect to take environmental education courses or workshops demonstrate a desire to develop a sense of stewardship for North Carolina's natural resources and to instill that sense of stewardship in children and adults. The certification program is designed to recognize these educators.

What are the Benefits of Becoming Certified?

The North Carolina Environmental Education Certification Program provides professional development for adults.

Environmental Education Certification recognizes an educator's understanding and stewardship of North Carolina's natural resources and certified environmental educators have the knowledge and skills to be environmental education leaders in their community. This achievement benefits not only your community but the entire state and contributes to the future of North Carolina’s environment.

Those who are certified will receive:

A certificate of program completion signed by the Governor, Chairman of the N.C. State Board of Education and Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Professional recognition.

Networking opportunities with other environmental educators across the state.

Teachers can earn CEU credit for many of the workshop experiences that are part of the certification program (with approval from their school district).

With EE Certification, You Can... 

Advance your career
Explore the state
Help your community
Gain confidence teaching outdoors
Grow as a professional
Meet amazing people
Gain content knowledge, new hands-on techniques, resources and curriculum
Get outdoors and close to nature
Experience workshops from sea turtles to bats to tree ID
Find newly discovered classrooms from nature centers and gardens to landfills
Bring the environment into any classroom
Gain a widely recognized professional credential

Click here for more detailed information about program requirements.

Program Partners

Department of Environmental Quality

Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

Department of Public Instruction

Environmental Educators of North Carolina

North Carolina Association of Environmental Education Centers

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Administered by

North Carolina Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality