"We must become the change we want to see in the world." --

Mohandas Gandhi

Conservation Education Case Studies Conservation Education Case Studies and and

Soil Education InformationSoil Education Information

PRESENTED BY:PRESENTED BY:Susan M. SchultzSusan M. SchultzNational Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)stewardship@nacdnet.org 317-326-2952 www.nacdnet.orgstewardship@nacdnet.org 317-326-2952 www.nacdnet.org

February 3, 2009 New Orleans NACD Annual ConferenceFebruary 3, 2009 New Orleans NACD Annual Conference

“It’s finding the path that allows you to give the best of yourself to others and the earth, and sharing your time and talents with others in a way that makes positive change. It’s love.” 

Petey Giroux

North American Association for Environmental Education

• Conservation Education Commission• www.naaee.org

Conservation Education Outreach Case Studies

118

Conservation District 82

National Forest Service & Austin State University 20

Recreation Area 6

USDA Forest Service 2

CEE 1

USDA-Dept of Ag 1

Refuge 1

US Fish & Wildlife 1

State Environmental Association 1

Extension 1

KS Children’s Water Festival 1

Team 1

  118

TYPE OF EVENT

Butterfly Garden put in State Park visitor center

Wilson County Fair

EARTH in classroom

Annual Poster Contest

Envirothon

Aquatic bug search for water quality purposes

County 4-H Summer Camp

Tree Planting Project

Field Day 43

Ongoing 32

Festival 29

Expo 8

Youth Summit 5

Parade 3

Topics at the EventWater 82

Wildlife conservation & management 82

Earth Day 39

Energy 28

History 21

Recreation (resource use hunting/fishing/boating 54

Ag/Conservation/Natural Resources 69

Pollinator/ Birding/butterfly 35

Habitat 77

Naturalist/natural resource knowledge 73

Range of ProjectEntire County 60

School 58

Local Community 39

Statewide 23

Other – attendees from throughout the world

Target Specific Age

YES 78

NO 40

Specific Amount of Time at each station

YES 66

NO 44

Planning Committee

YES 75

NO 42

Train Presenters

YES 46

NO 69

Are presenters volunteers

(non resource personnel)

YES 68

NO 43

Are presenters resource personnel ?

YES 93

NO 20

Are the trainers parents at school ?

YES 7

NO 90

Do you develop kits for presenters?

YES 41

NO 68

Conduct Pre-Post testing of participants

YES 10

NO 107

Did you find an increase in knowledge after event?

YES 100

NO 4

Do you have someone evaluate presenters?

YES 25

NO 92

Do your participants evaluate your outreach event?

YES 41

NO 75

Is the event linked to helping achieve conservation goals?

YES 105

NO 13

Do grant funds play a part in whether event happens?

YES 56

NO 63

WHEAT WEEKFranklin Conservation District, WA

• 4000 participants• Grade 4-7• 1 hour per day for 5 days• Increased awareness of natural resource

protection and conservation.

Alignment with state Essential Academic Requirements in Science as well as alignment with STC and FOSS science kits being used in eastern Washington. Teachers use Wheat Week to supplement and compliment their existing science curriculums.

Wheat Week brings an added hands-on science piece into their classrooms to give students more experiences with science.

WHEAT WEEK

• Community support has been tremendous. There is a waiting list of schools requesting Wheat Week in their classrooms.

• Hopefully, we are helping students become wise stewards of our natural resources

Wheat Week

• $73,000• In kind $10,000

Do grant funds play a part?

YES• Washington Wheat Commission• Washington State Conservation Commission• Various Conservation Districts across the state

No pre or post testing

• Wheat Week is a series of 5 lessons delivered over the course of one week to classrooms in grades 4-7. Each day, 4-5 classrooms receive the one-hour lesson. Each lesson builds upon each other and all have a natural resource, science and conservation component. Monday's lesson is a water cycle lesson and emphasizes water conservation. Tuesday's lesson is a soil lesson and teaches students the differences between sand, silt and clay and also talks about soil conservation. Wednesday's lesson is a watershed lesson and teachers students what watersheds are and the things they do in their daily lives can impact their watershed. Thursday's lesson is an energy lesson and teaches students the difference between renewable and non-renewable energies. Students also learn about energy conservation. Friday's lesson is a systems lesson and students identify parts of a system as well as functions of the system. Students also identify the inputs and outputs of the system and discuss conservation of those inputs. Wheat is used throughout the week as the tool to teach students these concepts. Wheat is a major commodity in eastern Washington and something the students are somewhat familiar with.

• Wheat Week 2 is beginning this year and is in addition to Wheat Week. Those classrooms that had Wheat Week last year will be able to receive 5 new lessons. The new curriculum focuses on the same content but uses new hands-on materials.

"Innovative Approaches toMaintaining Stream Banks

Without Breaking Your Own Bank"

Champaign County SWCD, IL

At least every other year, the district helps host a meeting open to anyone, but directed

towards drainage district commissioners. This year's theme was "Innovative Approaches to

Maintaining Stream Banks Without Breaking Your Own Bank". Our featured presenter

discussed Channel Dynamics (How streams evolve over time) and Proven Bank

Stabilization Practices. District personnel presented information on the Salt Fork River

Maintenance Project and Cost Share Programs.

"Innovative Approaches toMaintaining Stream Banks Without

Breaking Your Own Bank"• 15 year old event• Average 30 to 40 participants• What were some of the good outcomes of this

event?• 1. Drainage Commissioners use best management

practices for ditch maintenance.• 2. Awareness of environmental impacts of their

actions.• 3. Public relations benefit with environmental

groups.

"Innovative Approaches toMaintaining Stream Banks Without

Breaking Your Own Bank"

PARTNERS• University of Illinois Extension• Champaign County SWCD• NRCS

Costs: minimal

Eco Camp - Environmental Science Based Day Camp

Beaufort Soil & Water Conservation District, SC

Event: 19 years old

Average participants: 60

Budget $3115

• Eco camp is 1 week, 5 days from 9am to 12 noon. with three rotating presentations each day.

• We choose presenters and crafts pertinent to the yearly environmental theme. (Past year have been Winged Wonders, Down on the Farm, Water Conservation, Safety, Etc.)

• We try to have as much hands on activities as we can. We choose presenters from Country, State, and local private organizations. We try and find kid friendly presenters as well as experts in their field. We have some equipment, but borrow materials such asmicroscopes and natural history specimens when we can. Live (safe) animals are always a big hit!

• We charge $85 for the week. Farm Bureau and the Technical College each sponsor 2 scholarships. Farm Bureau also provides lunch on the last day.

• Children also get theme t-shirts to paint and wear on the last day of camp. • Presenters from agencies and local businesses provide free handouts and other

items relative to the theme. (For Example, BiLo Grocery stores donated re-usable shopping bags.

Pluff mud

This year our theme was Dirty Jobs The Dirte-eee Jobs Theme created a fun, excitingatmosphere for learning about the environment.

Children learned about: recycling, trash disposal, how a landfill works,

worm composting, respecting animals in the wild, local oyster reef communities & restoration projects, farm animal husbandry, trapping coyote, chemistry of pluff mud, planting in eco friendly cow poo pots, scrapbooking, and other crafts.

Chainsaw Safety Field Day• Pope County Conservation District, AR• 45 participants• Seeing how natural resources affect a cross-

section of the population...some for recreation and hobby and some as a means of income

• Try to include all areas of your community. We had people in all occupations--from pharmacists to bankers to loggers...all with a common interest.

Rain Barrel Workshop

• Tazewell Soil and Water Conservation District, VA

• Participants made their own rainbarrels.• Community excited about rain water

harvesting. Set up systems at over 196 homes since 2007.

• People contacting board of supervisors to tell them how great the program is.

$25,000 grant to build two rain gardens

Partnership: Noblesville Economic Development Department, Wastewater Utility and Hamilton County SWCD, Indiana

Response to disaster

NACD Education Resources

Future Education Topics• NACD Education material topics (assists in promotion of

Stewardship week): • - Topic: Soil Theme- DIG IT! The Secrets of Soil• Materials available January 2009 (partners: Smithsonian and Soil

Science Society of America)• 2010 – Topic: Forestry Theme – TBD • Materials available summer/fall 2009• 2011 – Topic: Habitat & Wildlife Theme – TBD• Materials available summer/fall 2010• 2012 – Topic: Current Event Theme – TBD• Materials available summer/fall 2011• 2013 – Topic: Water Theme – TBD• Materials available summer/fall 2012

DIG IT! The Secrets of Soil

Poster contest changes

• Changes in the 2009 contest• Recording participants in the contest• POSTER CONTEST:• The Stewardship & Education committee added two

categories to the 2009 poster contest. Poster designed with soil paint for grades 4-6 and posters designed on computer for grades 10-12. Stewardship and education committee members donated $350 to cover the additional prize money. The regular category prize money is sponsored by the NACD Auxiliary. Additional information at: http://nacdnet.org/education/contests/

www.nacdnet.org

PAINTING WITH SOILPAINTING WITH SOIL

Painting with Soil

COMPUTER

DESIGNED

POSTER

Photo Contest

http://nacdnet.org/education/contests/photo/

•Conservation Practices •Close Up Conservation •Conservation in Action •Ag/Conservation Across America

No Child Left Inside

• No Child Left Inside Act:

Susan Schultz - NACD Stewardship & Education317-326-2952susan-schultz@nacdnet.orgwww.nacdnet.org