N.C. Office of Environmental Education Comments on Elementary and Secondary Education Act

The U.S. Department of Education is currently working on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and has invited public comment.


The inclusion of the No Child Left Inside Act and environmental education in the ESEA would be a significant step towards environmental literacy in North Carolina. Accordingly, the N.C. Office of Environmental Education has submited comments on the ESEA (View the letter).

In addition, the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction have been working together and with many key organizations including Environmental Educators of N.C., the N.C. Association of Environmental Education Centers, representatives from higher education and others to develop an environmental literacy plan for the state. More information about these planning efforts will be posted on the office’s Web site, http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/, in the next few weeks.

The office and their partners welcome input and participation from the North Carolina environmental education community during this process.

Happy New Year from the N.C. Office of Environmental Education!

This is the first edition of N.C. Enviromental Education News Tips for 2010. Welcome to all of our new subscribers and best wishes to all. You'll find a new "EE Center Friday" feature, as well as three new News Tips stories below. Also, several new environmental education jobs and internships have been posted, as well as new grants and contests and awards. Be sure to check the links on the right.

Environmental Education Center Friday!

Today we travel to North Carolina’s smallest state park, Carolina Beach.

Carolina Beach State Park may be the smallest in the system (420 acres), but it packs a big punch with amazing biodiversity and outdoor recreational opportunities. One of the most outstanding natural features of the park is its diverse plant communities - thirteen different plant communities are present within this small area. The park features eleven species of carnivorous plants, including Venus fly traps. In addition, it features lime sink ponds and Sugarloaf, a 60-foot high sand dune overlooking the Cape Fear River. The park is home to Carolina Beach Registered Natural Heritage Area. The presence of dunes, swales, savannas and pocosin vegetation mixed with limesink ponds makes this site significant.

The park also offers an exhibit hall, classroom, auditorium, six hiking and nature trails, picnic area, campground and group camping area. A variety of environmental education programs are offered to groups. The park's Environmental Education Learning Experience (EELE) "Plants That Bite Back" centers around the carnivorous plants in the park.

All of the N.C. State Parks and more than 100 other facilities are listed in the online Guide to Environmental Education Centers in North Carolina !

Environmental Educators of N.C. Presents its 2009 Awards

The Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC) recently recognized a number of individuals and organizations for their contributions to environmental education throughout the state. EENC is the state’s professional organization representing environmental educators including classroom teachers, state and national park rangers, museum educators and educators working in other non-formal settings. EENC is also the state's affiliate to the North American Association for Environmental Education.

The awards were handed out by North Carolina's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. June St. Clair Atkinson, at EENC's annual conference.

Two individuals were honored with EENC's Outstanding Service Awards.

Shelby Gull Laird has served as EENC’s policy chair and is currently the organization’s president-elect. She was instrumental in creating EENC’s successful bid to host the 2011 conference of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). This conference, calendared for October 11-16, 2011, will bring 1,200 of the world’s environmental educators to North Carolina for professional development highlighting the best of our state’s natural and cultural resources. Over the past eight years, Shelby has had the opportunity to promote environmental education in two related roles. For four years, she taught earth/environmental science at Garner Magnet High School. Subsequent to that, she developed the highly regarded “It’s Our Water” professional development program, working with the nonprofit North Carolina based Environmental Education Fund.

Renee Strnad is the state coordinator for Project Learning Tree and supports 4-H natural resource programs statewide. She is also a liaison between the College of Natural Resources at N.C. State University and environmental educators, sharing relevant information between the two groups. She is currently working with Wiley Elementary School in Raleigh, where students in grades 3-5 get their first glimpse of being a forester, through tree measurement classes facilitated by N.C. State forestry students.

EENC's Outstanding Educator Award was given to Wiley International Magnet School’s Sarah Palmer. While Palmer has been using environmental education in her lessons for the better part of two decades, she redoubled her efforts a few years ago when she was told that she and her colleagues were the last generation for whom an intimate connection to nature would be a common experience. “That concept horrified me, and at that moment I decided to do something about it,” says Sarah. Since then, she has created various curriculum activities and units, including a Project Bright Ideas unit on ecosystems. Palmer also built a native plant learning garden on school grounds, which features edible, herbal and medicinal plants as well as some to attract native pollinators.

Matt Besch, principal of Beaufort-based In Your Head Advertising, took home the organization’s 2009 Outstanding Partnership Award. “Matt contributed countless hours to our organization, above and beyond his modest retainer, to ensure that the EENC website would be competitive and comprehensive,” noted EENC Communications Chair Elizabeth Burke. “We were fortunate to find a partner who understands and supports the environmental and educational mission of EENC.”

Archdale-Trinity Middle School’s 7th grade science teacher, Sarah Fuller, was honored as EENC's Outstanding Newcomer. While Fuller has been an EENC member since 2005, she stepped up to the challenge of serving as EENC’s membership chair this year. And while this award recognizes her as a newcomer to EENC, she’s been involved in environmental education for the past decade. She earned her B.A. from SUNY-Potsdam in Elementary Education , with an emphasis in ecology, and earned an M.A. from UNC-Greensboro in Middle School Science.

Finally, EENC's 2009 Outstanding Environmental Organization award was given to the North Carolina Envirothon. For the past 18 years, the Envirothon has engaged thousands of middle and high school students in actively learning about ecology, natural resources management, and current environmental issues. The Envirothon encourages teachers and students to go outdoors to learn about the natural world around them. They are also challenged to think critically about how to balance the quality of life with the quality of the environment. The Envirothon also engages resource professionals to share their expertise and passion for their every day work in soils, land use planning, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and many other diverse environmental fields. North Carolina's Division of Soil andWater Conservation's Steve Bennett, brought the Envirothon to North Carolina, and was on hand to accept the award.

Congratulations everyone!

Thanks to EENC Communications Chair Elizabeth Burke for this submission.

N.C. DENR Lists 2009 Accomplishments

The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources has released its 2009 list of notable accomplishments. Environmental education and outreach accomplishments from several divisions were noted in this year's report and are listed below (The Office of Environmental Education is a division of N.C. DENR). The entire release can be viewed on the N.C. DENR Web site.

N.C. DENR Environmental Education and Outreach

The state parks system put in place a full-service, Internet- and call center-based reservations system for its nearly 3,000 campsites as well as picnic shelters, community buildings, conference rooms and auditoriums. The reservations system has been the most requested amenity in recent years by visitors to the state parks. Beyond helping residents plan visits to state parks, the system provides valuable information about visitor demographics and preferences.

The Division of Soil and Water Conservation helped put on the 2009 Canon Envirothon, the world’s largest high school environmental science competition. Professional staff, volunteers, mentors and parents from the United States and Canada came to UNC-Asheville in August to support 54 participating teams. Students competed in soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife and current environmental issues. North Carolina’s team, The Sequoias, took second place.

Some DENR attractions saw increased attendance. The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences welcomed 750,000 visitors in 2009, making it the most-visited museum and the No. 1 field trip attraction in the state. The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher saw a 16 percent increase in attendance from June to August after opening the albino alligator exhibit. The North Carolina Zoo set an attendance record for Easter Saturday with 10,681 visitors. The previous record of 10,437 was in 1995.

The Office of Environmental Education published a comprehensive guide to the state’s environmental education centers. The Guide to Environmental Education Centers in North Carolina is at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/eecenters.htm. It profiles more than 180 facilities that provide environmental education learning opportunities for the public. The centers include state-owned facilities and federal, local and nonprofit parks, visitor centers, nature centers and museums.

The state Ecosystem Enhancement Program worked with staff from the internationally syndicated television show “Aqua Kids” for the second straight year. The show showcases water quality protection efforts in the Tar Heel State. Program staff worked with “Aqua Kids” in Alleghany County to film segments on stream restoration and mountain stream ecology at Roaring River in Stone Mountain State Park, and on mountain bog ecosystems and the endangered bog turtle in Sparta. The shows are set to run in early 2010 on cable systems statewide.

In May, the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island broke ground on a new educational ocean fishing pier, Jennette’s Pier. The pier is one of three proposed new hurricane-resistant concrete structures, one near each of the three North Carolina aquariums. All three piers will provide family-oriented educational sites from which aquarium staff can conduct programs such as recreational fishing and do research.

More than 100 teachers and environmental educators attended North Carolina’s first Outdoor Classroom Symposium at the N.C. Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill, thanks to hard work from department staff from the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program, the state Office of Environmental Education and their partners. The symposium focused on techniques for creating, maintaining and using outdoor classrooms and integrating outdoor learning into the curriculum.

Presentations from the First Annual N.C. Outdoor Classroom Symposium Now Available

Many of the presentations and handouts from the First Annual NC Outdoor Classroom Symposium have ben posted on the Office of Environmental Education Web site, www.eenorthcarolina.org. View them at this link. The Symposium was a huge success and the Office of Environmental Education and the Albemarle Pamlico National Estuary Program hope to host another one in Spring of 2011.

Make "Get Outside More" Your New Year's Resolution!

Need to work off some holiday calories? Kids getting bored on break? Out-of-town relatives staying longer than you thought they would?

The solution to these issues is right outside your door. Yes, it’s a little chilly, but research shows that getting outside, even in the cold, has benefits. And if a healthier lifestyle is part of your New Year’s Resolutions, you’ll be pleased to know that some doctors are now prescribing outdoor activity for a variety of conditions.

Many N.C. Environmental Education Centers and other organizations that provide environmental education have special programs planned this week and into the New Year. You can search for these in your area on the Office of Environmental Education’s Web site.

Want to know more about the benefits of environmental education and outdoor activity? Visit our EE Research and Data page.

Environmental Education Center Friday, Dec 11, 2009

Today we travel to N.C.’s ancient Uwharrie Mountains. The Caraway Conference Center and Camp is located 7 miles west of Asheboro, near Sophia. They provide a wide range of outdoor activities for conference attendees and campers in this beautiful natural setting. Camp Caraway is also the home of the A.C.O.R.N.S. (Awesome Children’s Outdoor Recreation & Nature Study) environmental education program. A.C.O.R.N.S. is designed for students in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, and blends the state science curriculum with outdoor recreation to give students an outdoor learning experience that is exciting, memorable, and engaging. ACORNS is available to public, private, and homeschool groups on Tuesdays & Thursday in the late spring & early fall semesters.

Even with a nip in the air, EE Centers are a great place to visit. Visit the EE Centers online to explore more of them. As a matter of fact, outdoor recreation (even when it’s cold!) has been shown to boost mood and concentration.

Grandfather Mountain Produces "Nature Minutes"

Grandfather Mountain and Digital South Media Group have partnered to produce a series of educational "Nature Minutes" about the flora and fauna one of our newest State Parks. The nature minutes also discuss sustainability efforts and conservation. The video below takes a look at some of Grandfather's resident animals and how they deal with winter temperatures. You can view the other Nature Minutes on Grandfather Mountain's Web site.



The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation now operates the nature museum and attractions so many are familar with, and provides environmental education programs to the public and school groups. In 2009, Grandfather Mountain, Inc. sold 2,700 acres of the park's backcounty to the state of North Carolina for the Grandfather Mountain State Park. The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation and the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation work together to manage and protect this natural treasure for the good of the people of North Carolina.

Two N.C. Schools Win National GreenWorks! Grants

Project Learning Tree® (PLT), the environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation, has awarded GreenWorks! grants to Franklin High School in Sylva and Old Richmond Elementary School in Tobaccoville. “These grants support students committed to helping their communities and the environment,” said Renee Strnad, North Carolina PLT co-coordinator.

Franklin High School students will work with Southwestern Community College and other partners to restore habitat along a portion of the Little Tennessee River Greenway in Franklin, North Carolina. “Students will apply their experience to agricultural education classes, career awareness, and vocational or collegiate preparedness while they restore the area to its natural biodiversity and beauty,” said Mary Bennett, project co-coordinator and college readiness coach at Southwestern Community College.

Students in grades K through 5 at Old Richmond Elementary School, with help from Boy Scouts, will restore six garden beds. Each grade will set a goal for its garden, such as to attract butterflies or grow herbs. “Students will discuss their ideas and vote online to select their grade’s project choice,” said fifth-grade teacher Kathy Joyce.

Since 1992, Project Learning Tree has distributed more than $700,000 to fund 907 grant projects in communities across the country. For more information about GreenWorks!, and a complete list of Project Learning Tree’s GreenWorks! grant awards, visit http://www.plt.org/ or contact Vanessa Bullwinkle, Director of Communications, 202.463.2472 or vbullwinkle@forestfoundation.org.

For more information about PLT in North Carolina, contact Renee Strnad, North Carolina State University, at 919.515.5518 or renee_strnad@ncsu.edu, or visit www.ces.ncsu.edu/plt .

Representative Etheridge Latest Co-Sponsor of NCLI Act

The National Wildlife Federation reports that Represetative Bob Etheridge is the latest co-sponsor of the No Child Left Inside Act - H.R. 2054. This brings the total number of co-sponsors to 83. Congressman Etheridge joins fellow N.C. Representatives David Price and Heath Shuler.

For more information on No Child Left Inside, see the video on the Thursday, November 12, 2009 post and these details on the NCLI Coalition Web site.

EETAP Releases Article on EE for Culturally Diverse Groups

From the Environmental Education & Training Partnership:

Demographic changes and the emergence of a more global society have challenged the field of environmental education to be more inclusive and to offer programming that is relevant to culturally diverse groups. But what do we mean by diversity, and where is the EE field going with it? “Still Developing the Toolbox: Making EE Relevant for Culturally Diverse Groups,” by Joanne M. Lozar Glenn addresses this question and profiles five organizations working to connect their programming to the communities they serve.

(Note: This article features Ross Andrews, director of the Walnut Creek Wetlands Center in Raleigh).

From creating learning groups to reaching urban, immigrant and native audiences, these organizations address what it means to work with diverse audiences and how connecting with these communities changes what they’re doing and how that work gets done. The article includes 10 “learnings” that have emerged from environmental educators who are on the ground and at the forefront of efforts to make EE more inclusive. The article also provides a list of resources (books, articles, websites, programs, and organizations and individuals) designed to inspire readers who want to learn more about this topic and to get ideas they can apply to their own work.

Download the article

NOAA Environmental Education Bill Passes House Committee

The House Natural Resources Committee has voted 22 to 13 to send H.R. 3644 to the House floor. This bill would create a national Environmental Literacy Grant program (through NOAA) and would elevate the Bay Watershed Education and Training program to the national level. This bill was introduced by Congresswoman Lois Capps of California (See October 6 post below).

Details about the bill and a link to the full bill text is available on the Campaign for Environmental Literacy Web site.

First Statewide Outdoor Classroom Symposium Held in Chapel Hill

North Carolina’s first Outdoor Classroom Symposium was held October 22-24 at the N.C. Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. This symposium focused on techniques for creating, maintaining and using outdoor classrooms and provided strategies for integrating outdoor learning into the curriculum. More than 150 teachers, teacher assistants, school administrators, parent volunteers, non-formal educators, landscape architects and playground designers from across the state came together for this inaugural event. The symposium was held in the N.C. Botanical Garden's new education center, which was designed to meet Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. This is the highest level of certification for green buildings.

Session topics included how to create specific types of school gardens and natural areas, how to start farm-to-school programs and how to design and use school grounds to enhance learning across the curriculum. The symposium was a partnership between the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program (APNEP), the N.C. Office of Environmental Education, the Environmental Education Fund, the N.C. Botanical Garden at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and the Natural Learning Initiative at N.C. State University.

The symposium ended with Saturday tours of Piedmont-area schools, environmental education centers and farmers markets. Cam Collyer, one of the symposium's two keynote speakers who lives and works in Toronto, joined in on the tours and was very impressed with what he saw, noting that our state already has some great schoolyard learning projects for others to model. (Watch this video story about George Watts Elementary, one of the school gardens on the tour)

Speakers included Dr. Dilafruz Williams, founding director of the Leadership in Ecology, Culture and Learning program at Portland State University; Brian Day, executive director of the North American Association for Environmental Education; Cam Collyer, director of the Toyota Evergreen Learning Grounds Program; Beverly G. Vance, Interim Section Chief K-12 Science, N.C. Department of Public Instruction and Dr. Robin Moore, professor of Landscape Architecture at North Carolina State University and an internationally-recognized researcher and author on outdoor learning environments. N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Dee Freeman finished out the sessions with closing remarks.

Based on the positive participant feedback, the Office of Environmental Education and APNEP plan to hold follow-up workshops and future symposia. Articles and peer-reviewed research on the academic and health benefits of outdoor learning and environmental education are available on the N.C. Office of Environmental Education's Research & Data page.

APNEP Demonstration Project Grants Open Until December 31, 2009

The Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program is seeking proposals for demonstration projects. Grants will be awarded by APNEP, which protects water quality and other natural resources in a 36-county area of northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. Schools, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and institutions in the APNEP region are eligible to apply for grant money.

The projects must have a direct environmental benefit and occur on public lands in the APNEP region. They also must have a constructed component or vegetative planting on-site, feature a strong public outreach or education element, allow for permanent public access and have methods that may be applied in other locations. Past projects included outdoor classrooms, nature trails, rain gardens, green roofs and schoolyard wetlands.

Each project may receive up to $20,000 in funding from APNEP. The APNEP Citizen’s Advisory Committee will select the proposals to be funded and determine funding amounts. Prospective grant recipients are encouraged to partner with others to leverage additional funds. The application deadline is Dec. 31. Awards will be announced in January. All awards are contingent upon the availability of funds.

For more detailed information or to download an application, visit the APNEP Web site and click on “What's New - Request for Proposals.” If you have questions about the application or eligibility requirements, contact Lori Brinn, APNEP Community Specialist.

Not in the APNEP Region? Remember that more opportunities are listed on the Office of Environmental Education's Grants and Contests and Awards pages.

Report on the federal No Child Left Inside Act (3 min, 47 sec)

Forest Service PSA Encourages Kids to Find "Where the Other You Lives"

N.C. EE Partner Wins NAAEE Outstanding Service Award

Kim Bailey, Coordinator of Environmental Education in Georgia, won the Outstanding Service for Environmental Education by an Individual Award at the 2009 National Association for Environmental Education Conference in Portland.

Most of you in North Carolina may not know Kim, but you are familar with her work. Kim led the effort to develop the Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance (SEEA) Web site, which provides an integrated EE calendar and database for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tenneessee. The N.C. Office of Environmental Education was the first state agency to join with Georgia in the EPA Grant that funded the SEEA project. This partnership made the current N.C. Environmental Education Calendar and Resource Database possible. Kim worked especially hard to help the office integrate the functionality of the SEEA system into our existing Web site.

The Office of Environmental Education still works closely with Kim, who constantly looks for ways to improve the system so it can better serve the southeastern EE community. The project has also benefited the office by forging a closer working relationship with the other southeastern states.

Congratulations Kim on this very well-deserved award!

Pat Curley Wins National EE Award

The following was reprinted from the Fall 2009 Newsletter of the Enviromental Educators of North Carolina. Thanks to the EENC Board for reprint permission, and CONGRATULATIONS PAT!

Every year, the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) awards the Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award to an outstanding educator who has successfully integrated environmental education into his or her daily education programs. The award is given to an educator who can serve as an inspiration and model for others. The Richard C. Bartlett Award honors teachers that are bringing environmental education into the curriculum and the community, not just teaching about environmental challenges but also engaging students in the solution. We are honored to announce that EENC Board Member, Pat Curley, was one of only two teachers nationally who received a certificate of merit. The following is the text from NEEF’s announcement:

While a teacher at the Onslow County Learning Center, a school for at-risk youth in North Carolina, Bartlett Certificate of Merit recipient Patrick Curley integrated environmental education into every aspect of his teaching. In response to his students’ diverse academic and social needs, Curley took an innovative approach tohis science instruction, often leading his students on “citizen science” expeditions into the 66-acres ofl ongleaf pine forest surrounding the school to monitor the local creek and record bird breeding activity. Students have taken what they have learned inthe classroom and created positive change in the community—including building a nature trail forthe Isaac Walton League, propagating native plants for donation to the Coastal Federation, and building and maintaining an oyster shell recycling facility that will help to rejuvenate oyster populations. During the 2008-2009 schoolyear, Mr. Curley served as a “teacher-coach” for the Onslow CountySchool District, helping his fellow teachers to use the world aroundthem as a framework for integratingthe curriculum. Mr. Curley directed students and teachers to the many resources that are available through private and public agencies in orderto support and enhance instruction of environmental issues. Curley’sstudents, many of whom were once afraid of nature, now take the lead on teaching other students aboutthe natural world, and many OCLC students who were once at-risk of academic failure and had a history of disruptive behavior have developed feelingsof accomplishment in Curley’s classroom. Students have performed well on state assessments, have fewer behavioral referrals, and in many cases have returned to a traditional school environment.

Congresswoman Lois Capps Introduces New Environmental Education Bill

From the National Wildlife Federation:

Legislation Would Bolster NOAA’s Key Environmental Literacy Programs

WASHINGTON (September 25)—Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA) this week introduced H.R. 3644, a bill to bolster the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) environmental and conservation education programs. The new bill would authorize a national Environmental Literacy Grant program as well as a regional Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program focused on local watersheds education. The legislation gradually increases funding levels over 5 years for both grant programs and authorizes new regional B-WET programs in major watersheds nationwide.

Kevin Coyle, Vice President of Education and Training, said:“The National Wildlife Federation applauds Congresswoman Capps for developing this important legislation to bolster critical NOAA environmental education programs that will give young people a better understanding of their local watersheds and help ensure our next generation of conservation stewards.“Hands-on environmental education helps children learn about the world around them. It is a world they will inherit and must learn to take care of. Environmental education is also good for student academic performance and hands-on environmental education connects children with nature. This legislation will provide opportunities for young people to ‘Be Out There’ and spend time outdoors learning about their local watersheds, bays, estuaries and coastal areas.” “In addition to the many academic and conservation benefits of environmental education, business leaders increasingly believe that an environmentally literate workforce is critical to America’s competitiveness in the 21st Century.”

NWF’s Be Out There™ campaign was designed to get families across the United States to open the door and get outside. A daily dose of the outdoors improves children’s physical, mental and emotional well being. The benefits of outdoor play are real: healthier kids with a life-long appreciation of wildlife and nature. Visit http://www.beoutthere.org/.

National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future. Visit http://www.nwf.org/. Contact: Amanda Cooke, Communications Associate, at 703-438-6041 or cookea@nwf.org Patrick Fitzgerald, Senior Legislative Representative, at 202-870-0824 or fitzgeraldp@nwf.org