Welcome to the Utah Society for Environmental Education (USEE) E-Newsletter! This publication exists to connect educators and our community with valuable news, information, and opportunities!
Whether you are an educator, business owner, agency personnel, or a concerned citizen…we hope that you will find something useful and interesting in each month’s publication!
In This Issue:
USEE News
USEE Communicator
Environmental Education News, Workshops, Events
Educator’s Corner
EE Jobs, Internships and Volunteer Opportunities
USEE News
News
USEE “Green Bag” Lunchtime Series – Evaluation and Assessment
February 12, 2008 ~ Location TBA
Are you stumped when it comes to evaluation and assessment? Do you really know the impacts of your programs? Come join us for tips on how to assess learning in the field and how to structure program evaluations. Bring information about YOUR specific programs and we’ll work with Adrienne Cachelin, from the University of Utah, to initiation or tweak your assessment and evaluation practices. Cost: $5.00/USEE Members & $10.00/Nonmembers (Lunch Provided). To RSVP, or for questions, email Andree' Walker, andree@usee.org or call (801) 328-1549. RSVP's must be received by February 8th.
USEE “Green Bag” Lunchtime Series -WE NEED YOUR INPUT!
The USEE Green Bag is a USEE program developed to meet YOUR professional development needs. We are in the planning stages for 2008, and would love to have your input about topics, times and locations for these events. Please click on the following link to participate in a quick survey about the Green Bag Program.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=OOlaXjQIXqTapVO5Ot5t7A_3d_3d
The survey should take you no longer than 5 minutes. Thank you in advance for making the 2008 Green Bags a success!
USEE Highlights
The USEE staff periodically makes visits to organizations in our membership to get to know them better and highlight them in the enews. If you’d like us to visit your organization, give us a call!
EE Excursions
By Andree’ Walker, Associate Director
Last month, Jason and I visited Mary McKinley and April Phillips at the Ogden Nature Center (ONC). What a wonderful place! I've been to the ONC many times before, but have always been teaching a workshop or caught up in something else for work. It was a wonderful experience to be able to walk the grounds, visit with the birds in the Mews (especially Cronk, the Raven who likes to do tricks for the students coming to see him), tour the Green Buildings and chat with Mary and April.
The Mission of the ONC is to affect change to the point where they have created an environmentally sustainable community. I was blown away as Mary and April described the many programs that they have for youth to adults, ranging from school programs to day camps to evening concerts and more. They reach over 12,000 youth through their school programs, and countless community members. Another impressive fact I learned about ONC is that they have 600 active volunteers! The programs at ONC never seem to end….
As we were wrapping up our time at ONC, I asked both Mary and April their favorite parts of the nature center. Mary replied that she loves the property, just the feel of it. She also enjoys all the people involved in the nature center – the staff, the visitors and the volunteers. "It's a pleasure to be here every day" she said. April commented on the sense of wonder that surrounds the nature center, especially working with children. She loves having that sense of wonder herself everyday as well as seeing it in the children she teaches.
I would encourage everyone to visit the Ogden Nature Center and experience that sense of wonder for themselves. But watch out, you might stumble upon the three resident turkeys Tom, Thomas and Tommie! If you do, tell them hi from the USEE staff.
Special Thanks
Thanks to Our Donors!
Thanks to all of you for your generosity! These contributions are so important to the sustainability of our organization, which receives much of our funding from grants tied to specific programs. We are grateful to our donors for choosing to support USEE!
Condolences
Sir Edmund Hillary a towering figure in exploration and conservation passed away January 11, 2008, in New Zealand at the age of 88. While Hillary is remembered most for conquering the world’s tallest mountain, he is also remembered for his dedication to environmental causes and humanitarian efforts on behalf of the Nepalese people. He was a former board member of WWF-International and a longtime supporter of WWF New Zealand and WWF Nepal. His foundation, the Sir Edmund Hillary Himalayan Trust, raised millions and built more than 30 schools, a dozen clinics, two hospitals, a couple of airfields, and numerous foot bridges, water pipelines, as well as cleaning up trash on Everest and reforesting valleys and slopes in the Mustang, Khumbu and Pokhara regions. In 2003, Nepal conferred honorary citizenship upon Sir Edmund, the first foreign national to receive that distinction.
USEE Communicator
USEE welcomes and encourages news and articles from our members to share with our membership community. Please send us information of upcoming events, important initiatives, volunteer opportunities, and other highlights you would like to share among this group.
Upcoming Events
Morning Snowshoe
10:00 am on Saturday, January 26, 2008
Location TBA
Join Swaner Nature Preserve staff for a morning snowshoe on "Rob's Trail." This intermediate snowshoe will offer a unique view of the Preserve and a great opportunity to identify animal tracks. For reservations, please email Erin@SwanerNature.org.
Star Party
6:30 pm on Friday, February 8, 2008
Location TBA
Join Swaner Nature Preserve and the Salt Lake Astronomical Society for a unique look at the night sky during the new moon cycle, which allows for the best observation of deep sky objects.
For reservations, please email Erin@SwanerNature.org.
Did You Know..?
Being Green is Getting Easier!
“It’s not easy “bein’ green” Kermit the Frog lamented, but it’s getting easier all the time with the 2007 legislative session leading the way to make 2008 the greenest year yet!
The 2007 Legislative Session was the most successful session to date for energy efficiency and renewable energy in Utah!
Victories for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Utah
- Renewable Energy Tax Credit - This legislation will provide economic development opportunities to rural Utah and demonstrates that Utah is friendly to renewable energy investments and industries, helping to bring a number of renewable energy projects (potentially over 500 MW) over next several years.
- Revolving Loan fund for Energy Efficiency - This bill creates a $5 million revolving loan fund for K-12 schools and school districts. Loans will be provided for the retrofit of existing buildings as well as energy efficiency upgrades to new buildings. In addition to loans, technical assistance will also be provided to help public agencies and school districts conduct energy audits, design and implement energy efficiency projects, and maximize energy savings. Savings from these projects will allow schools and school districts to reinvest savings back into educating Utah’s students.
- State Fleet Efficiency Requirements- This legislation seeks to improve the efficiency of state fleets. A primary goal of this legislation focuses on a volume reduction of fuel used by the state vehicle fleet.
Contact your state representatives to let them know you want Utah to develop a diversified, clean, and sustainable energy portfolio!
The Citizens Guide is also a great tool to learn more about the Utah State Legislature, how to read a bill, committees, testifying before a committee and how to get more involved. http://www.le.state.ut.us/lrgc/citizenguide.htm
Environmental Education News & Events
Local
Cottonwood Canyons Foundation
Snowshoe Fieldtrips - The Wasatch Mountains as a classroom!
Saturdays and Sundays 10 AM
December 15th - March 30th
Teachers! Take your students on the year's most memorable fieldtrip! Proud pilot program of the Get Fit! program. Join the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation for a snowshoe outing that is FREE. Our guides will lead the class through avalanche safe terrain to view beaver lodges, track animals, discuss watershed, etc. Educational focus meets 4th and 5th grade science core curriculum. For more information about groups and location visit: info@cottonwoodcanyons.org or call 801- 947-8263
Arbor Day Poster Contest
February 5, 2008 - Registration Deadline
Registration forms for the 21st Annual Utah Arbor Day Poster Contest are being accepted through Feb. 5, 2007. This year's theme, "Trees are Terrific... inside and out!" is bound to inspire great educational opportunities as well as lovely art work! The contest is open to K-6
graders and special education students. By participating in the Arbor Day Poster Contest students will learn about the benefits and uses of trees in our lives and will be eligible to win an array of prizes including a chance to meet the Governor. All participating schools will receive a $50 tree coupon to purchase and plant a tree as a school Arbor Day activity and four regional winning schools will be awarded a $500 check to use as they see fit. For more information visit www.arborday.utah.gov or call Meridith Perkins at 801-538-5505.
Red Butte Garden -Botany for Gardeners
January 24 - February 7
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Don't go dormant this winter! Join us as we learn basic plant morphology and terminology, as well as knowledge that will help you better understand plant growth and take some of the guesswork out of gardening. In this hands-on class, you'll learn the reasons some shrubs are pruned immediately after flowering while others are pruned in late winter/early spring, how to tell a pine from a spruce and why it matters, the reasons behind the differing watering practices for turf and trees, and other common gardening questions. Cosponsored with Lifelong Learning. Limited to 25 participants. Registration Required (801)587-LIFE (5433) or (801)581-6464 or
online at The University of Utah Lifelong Learning.
Stegner Symposia: Green Bag Series: From Arctic Terns to Wolverines: Wildlife Conservation in the West
Feb 5, 2008 at 12:15 pm
S.J. Quinney College of Law, rm. 106
For more information about this event visit the Wallace Stegner Center at:
law.utah.edu/stegner or call 801-585-3440.
Focus the Nation 2% Solution Webcast
January 30th, 6:00pm
University of Utah Olpin Union Theater
Join Stanford University climate scientist, Stephen Schneider, sustainability expert Hunter Lovins and green jobs pioneer Van Jones for a discussion of global warming solutions. Bring your cell phone for text message polling during the webcast! For more information visit: www.sustainability.utah.edu/focus.htm
Policy Solutions to Global Climate Change
January 31, 2008, 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Utah Museum of Fine Arts Dumke Auditorium
Panel discussion featuring Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, and the Governor’s Energy Advisor Dianne Nielson. Co-Hosted by the Hinckley Institute of Politics. For more information visit: www.sustainability.utah.edu/focus.htm
13th Annual Stegner Symposium Alternative Energy: Seeking Climate Change Solutions
March 7 - 8, 2008
SJ Quinney College of Law
The Wallace Stegner Center’s 13th annual symposium will focus on the question of whether and how alternative energy sources can help to solve the climate change problem. Our symposium is multi-disciplinary in both its nature and format and will include scientists, engineers, economists, and policy analysts, offering perspectives from industry, government, the academy, non-profit organizations, and research and development. Key issues that will be addressed include the current state of the energy landscape, what alternative technologies are now available or have future promise, economic constraints and political barriers that may be faced to transition away from fossil fuels, and potential alternative energy policy solutions to the climate change problem. Additional information on registration and fees is available online at law.utah.edu/stegner or call 801-585-3440.
Regional
8th Annual Colorado Plateau Bioregional Outdoor Education Conference
February 29 – March 2, 2008
College of Eastern Utah -San Juan Campus in Blanding, Utah
This is the premier place-based conference focusing on the Colorado Plateau and is geared to all educators working with K-8th. This year’s theme is Celebrating the Colorado Plateau: Tracing Our Connections. We are presenting a variety of workshops (over 30 to choose from) that give teachers a wide variety of ideas for lessons they can incorporate into their classroom immediately following the conference. The conference begins Friday evening with a Share Fair and our featured presentation by author, adventurer, and desert ecologist, Craig Childs. Craig will present on his book entitled House of Rain: Tracking A Vanished Civilization Across The American Southwest. On Saturday we will present morning and afternoon concurrent sessions and an evening movie entitled the Snowbowl Effect, including a discussion of how to incorporate current events into the classroom. Sunday morning will start with a continental breakfast followed by morning concurrent sessions. The conference will end after lunch on Sunday. For more information www.boep.org or call (435) 587-2156. Also this year we are offering a pre-conference workshop entitled Children deserve Wild Spaces, which will be held on Friday from 3-5 pm at the college.
Wild and Scenic Rivers Suitability Study for National Forest System Lands in Utah
Draft Environmental Impact Statement Public Meeting Schedule
The Forest Service is conducting an environmental analysis to evaluate the suitability of 86 eligible river segments (840 miles) on the National Forests in Utah for recommendation for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The area affected by the proposal includes National Forest System lands on the Ashley, Dixie, Fishlake, Manti-La Sal, Uinta, and Wasatch-Cache National Forests in Utah. Portions of those National Forests extend into Colorado and Wyoming, and those areas will be included in this study. During the months of January and February the Forest Service will host public meetings throughout the State of Utah. For more information about the National Wild and Scenic River Act and for the public meetings schedule visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/rivers/public_mtg_sched.shtml
National
Focus the Nation - Focusing the Nation on Global Warming Solutions
January 31, 2008
Focus the Nation, a national educational and civic engagement initiative aimed at uniting millions of US citizens to find solutions to global warming. With more than 10,000 volunteers building events at over 1,200 schools, faith and civic organizations and businesses participating, Focus the Nation has become the largest Teach-in in history. For more information visit: www.sustainability.utah.edu/focus.htm
Educator’s Corner
Professional Development/ Training Opportunities
Utah Science Teachers’ Association (USTA) Mid-Winter Conference
February 15 and 16 of 2008,
College of Eastern Utah Price, UT
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to collaborate with science education leaders and your peers! New this year, several field trip tours will be available on both Friday and Saturday. In addition, there will be many great presentations on both days as well. To register please visit the USTA website: www.utahscienceteachers.org
HawkWatch International - Free course – USDE Credit available
HawkWatch International is pleased to announce an opportunity for science teachers (live, earth systems and environmental science grades 7-12), offered in regions around Utah. This FREE course, made possible by the Utah State Office of Education and the Utah State Legislature, is available for 1 USOE credit. Participants will also gain access to free live bird programs for their classroom(s). The course will familiarize participants with: Raptor ecology, classification and behavior; Creating engaging science core lesson plans using raptors as a theme; Using the student and teacher resources available on the TALONS website, HawkWatch International's website just for teachers; Integrating HWI live bird programs into lesson planning. For more information on locations and dates visit: www.hwi-talons.org
Teacher Resources
National Wildlife Federation's new Climate Classroom website
This website is designed to help parents and teachers talk to students of differing ages about global warming. Its features include guidelines for parents, proposed new national global warming educator guidelines, age-adapted sources of useful curricula, a downloadable slide presentation for kids, presenter's guide, and more. For more information visit: http://www.ClimateClassroom.org
USGS Web Site Contains Most Recent Information from Nine Studies of Polar Bear Habitat
The U.S. Geological Survey has launched a Web site with information from recent studies of the relationships of polar bears to present and future sea-ice environments. For more information visit: http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/special/polar_bears/
Grants & Awards
Nominate an Elementary School Teacher for the 2008 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science
Nomination Deadline: March 1; Applications are due May 1
Each year, the President of the United States recognizes outstanding kindergarten-6th grade or 7th-12th grade mathematics and science teachers by bestowing upon them the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). For nomination and application information go to: http://www.paemst.org/controllers/app.cfc?method=view
2008 International Young Eco-Hero Awards
Application Deadline: February 28, 2008
Action For Nature - Encouraging young people to take personal action to nurture and protect a healthy environment on which all life depends.
To recognize the individual accomplishments of young people (ages 8-16) whose personal actions have significantly improved the environment. Action For Nature will award cash prizes of up to $500 to young Eco-Heroes from around the world for their outstanding accomplishments in environmental advocacy, environmental health, research or protection of the natural world. Their individual initiatives will inspire others to preserve and protect our fragile environment. For more information visit: http://www.actionfornature.org/eco-hero/
Apply Today for a Toyota Tapestry Grant!
Deadline: January 28, 2008
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and the National Science Teachers Association are pleased to announce the 18th Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program. This year, 50 large grants of up to $10,000 each and 20-32 mini-grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded to K-12 teachers of science in the United States. The categories are Physical Science, Environmental Education, and Integrating Literacy and Science. Proposals must be submitted online. Visit http://www.nsta.org/pd/tapestry/ for details.
EE Jobs, Internships, & Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer Opportunities – Project Feeder Watch
Stokes Nature Center (SNC) has joined the team of Project Feeder Watch. This program is based out of Cornell University and uses data collected all over the country to map the migration patterns of birds. The viewing period is November through April. If you are interested in birds and research this is the perfect opportunity for you. To volunteer for this or any other opportunity at SNC, please contact Sadie Enright at 435-755-3239 or email at smenright@logannature.org.
Wasatch Community Gardens is looking to hire this season’s Youth Educator
Seven-month position from March 3 – October 31; 25 hours/week; flexible schedule; some evenings and Saturdays during growing season. Salary: $5,876 for a 900 hour AmeriCorps Position; educational award at end of term $2,362.50; paid holidays. Send cover letter; resume; names, titles and phone numbers of three professional references to Laura Judd, Youth Program Coordinator at youth@wasatchgardens.org. You may also send documents to Wasatch Community Gardens, Attn. Laura Judd, 345 E 400 S, Suite 204, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.
FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake is pleased to announce a new employment opportunity for a Membership and Outreach Coordinator
The Membership and Outreach Coordinator will create and implement an annual
membership plan. This includes coordinating membership mailings, maintenance of the membership database, and all membership correspondence via mail and email. The Coordinator will be responsible for data entry, donor reports, renewal milestone reports, and management of membership inventory. The Coordinator will direct all aspects of outreach activities/programs and annual events and develop or design outreach materials. Start Date: 1 March 2008, Supervisor: Executive Director, Lynn de Freitas. Please send a cover letter and a copy of your resume by 8 February 2008 to: FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake, P.O. Box 2655, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110 If you have any questions, please call Katie Pearce at 801-322-3216. Or for more information visit Friends of Great Salt Lake at: www.fogsl.org.
Stokes Nature Center is looking for a full-time Executive Assistant/Community Relations Specialist.
This person will be responsible for the smooth running of office operations as well as ensuring the success of SNC's membership and marketing activities. Duties are approximately 50% support to Executive Director and 50% community relations. The exact proportion of effort required in each area may vary throughout the year. Community relations tasks include marketing programs to the public, working with volunteers and donors, and helping with special
events. This is an excellent position for a well-rounded person who likes to deal with people and who wants an office in the woods. To apply: Send resume, cover letter, and 3 references to hstrand@logannature.org or mail to Stokes Nature Center, PO Box 4204 Logan, Utah 84323-4204 attn: Holly.
For a list of additional environmental education job/internship opportunities visit USEE's EE Jobs page: http://usee.org/eeinfo/jobs.html.