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Celebrating Excellence in Environmental Education
2023 Status and Needs Survey now available The 2023 Status and Needs Survey Results are now available. This project has been running for 10 years and tracks trends in Environmental Education in Wisconsin. You can access the Executive Summary at the link below. If you would like to learn more about this project or the data- please contact Dr. Hougham at justin.hougham@wisc.edu VIEW THE 2023 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2019 STATUS AND NEEDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS IN WISCONSIN In 2019, Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center administered a survey to over 700 environmental education organizations around the state. By the end of the survey period, 193 people responded allowing us to gain valuable insight into the field’s progress and direction since the survey’s first iteration in 2015. We are excited to share those results with you. This effort was supported by UW Division of Extension , WAEE , and the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education . Key finding of the survey include: Environmental education employs over 3,000 people in the state Environmental education generates between $40 million and $72 million in direct economic activity annually, and Respondents collectively manage 165,466 acres of land . If anything, this report demonstrated to us the collective impact and power this industry has to create change. Download Full Report 2016 STATEWIDE SURVEY Results In the winter of 2015-16 a digital survey was distributed to environmental education organization leaders across the state of Wisconsin. The goal of this survey was to investigate the current status of environmental education (EE) throughout Wisconsin and to help identify the different needs of these organizations in various focus areas. The information that was collected is being used to facilitate communication, collaboration, professional development, and outreach services, and to increase the quality and quantity of EE in Wisconsin. A select summary of significant survey results are illustrated in the two-page .pdf below, or you can download the full report (48 pages). This survey was supported in part by a Capacity Building grant from the North American Association for Environmental Education and was a collaborative project from University of Wisconsin-Extension, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education, Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education & the 2015 Wisconsin Environmental Education Consortium Download the Summary Download Full Report Below are the top professional development needs as defined by the state-wide survey: Top 7 Needs – Organization Skills Areas Accessibility and Inclusion of People with Disabilities (67%) Grant Writing (53.2%) Fundraising (51.1%) Digital Presence/Website/Facebook/Twitter/etc (46.8%) Volunteer Management (46.8%) Exhibit Development (43.6%) Public Relations/Marketing (41.5%) Top 7 Needs – Environmental Education Subject Areas Technology Use in Outdoor Education (67.3%) Using STEM as a Context for EE (or E-STEM) (61.4%) Community-based Learning (49.5%) Understanding School Initiatives, Speaking School Language (45.5%) Birds (42.6%) Plants (41.6%) Community Action/Service-Learning (41.6%) 2014 STATEWIDE SURVEY Results Abstract 160 Wisconsin environmental education (EE) related organizations responded to the 2014 status and needs online survey. The survey and report of findings includes general information about the organizations, trends in participation, land management, use of technology, program evaluation, and professional development needs and offerings. EE related organizations in Wisconsin serve an average number of 10,251 program participants. These organizations have extensive reach and impact across the state. Findings illustrate how and why some organizations have been more successful than others. EE related organizations have identified needs in the areas of technical and on-the-ground assistance with land management, use of technology to enhance environmental and outdoor education, and professional development in many organizational management skills and EE subject areas. Assistance is also needed in program evaluation along with coordination or use of standardized evaluation methods across organizations. Findings and recommendations included in this report can be used to increase the operational capacities and impact of EE related organizations in Wisconsin. Download the Document Below are the top 10 professional development needs as defined by the state-wide survey: Top 10 Needs – Organization Skills Use of Technology to Enhance Environmental Education Grant Writing Accessibility & Inclusion of People with Disabilities Fundraising Public Relations/Marketing Exhibit Development Digital presence/Website/Facebook/Twitter/etc. Volunteer Management Budgeting/Finances Non-profit Management/Working with Executive Boards Top 10 Needs – Environmental Education Content Areas Current Environmental Issues Sustainable Design/Green Technologies or Buildings Community Action/Service Learning Energy Efficiency Land Use/Conservation Sustainability/Resource Consumption Drinking Water/Waste Water Gardening/Agriculture/Soils Birds Water Quality/Aquatic Ecology/Fish or Plants (These two options ranked the same)
Benefits of Outdoor, Nature-based Learning
Scott Lee reflects on his years as a member with WAEE
Moving From JEDI to JEDIA
Honoring Freedom, Resilience, and Progress!
Celebrate with Pride
Feeling ready to take action in the face of pressing environmental challenges? Many of us do. That's why we're highlighting 5 Calls, a user-friendly app designed to bridge the gap between concerned community members and their elected officials. Instead of navigating complex policy documents or searching for contact information, 5 Calls streamlines the process. They provide thoroughly researched scripts on key environmental issues, pinpoint the relevant decision-makers, and offer direct phone numbers for their offices. This empowers you to deliver concise, impactful messages directly to those who shape policy. In a time where individual voices matter more than ever, 5 Calls offers a practical and efficient way to make a tangible difference. Check out 5 calls today: https://5calls.org/
Round 2 Questions The Superintendent of Public Instruction, sometimes referred to as the State Superintendent of Schools, is a constitutional officer within the executive branch of the Wisconsin state government, and acts as the executive head of the Department of Public Instruction. WAEE has asked the candidates about their views on environmental education. Following the primary election, WAEE followed up with the final candidates with a second round of questions. Their responses are provided below. The Wisconsin State Superintendent election will be held Tuesday, April 6, 2021. Where to Vote https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Find-My-Polling-Place
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Tackling Topics for a More Inclusive Community
UW-Extension, in partnership with many organizations, developed "Paths to Inclusion: a resource guide for fully including youth of all abilities in community life" which is a 20 page PDF designed to provide guidance to increase opportunities for disabled youth. Sections include: What Is Inclusion and Why Does it Matter? What Do We Need to Know About Disabilities? How Does Inclusion Happen? Where Is Inclusion Happening? How Can We Support Well-Being? and more… For complete details, visit the UW-Extension website: https://4h.extension.wisc.edu/4h-resources/paths-to-inclusion/ View PDF