California Regional Environment

Education Community

 California Naturalist Program 

 

Are you interested in honing your naturalist skills and contributing to a greater understanding of California?

Launched in 2012 through the University of California Cooperative Extension, the University of California Naturalist Program introduces Californians to the unique ecology of the state and engages the public in the study and stewardship of California's natural communities.

The California Naturalist program uses science curriculum, hands-on learning, problem-solving, and community service to instill a deep appreciation for the natural communities of the state and to inspire individuals to become stewards of their local resources. Upon completing certification requirements, participants are eligible for four academic credits through UC Davis Extension for an additional nominal fee.

If you're a naturalist, steward, environmental educator or interpreter, you won't want to miss the first biennial statewide conference for the California Naturalist Program, on October 17-19 at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, where you'll find a forum for new research and developments in natural history, stewardship, citizen science, global change, environmental education, and interpretation for addressing California's environmental challenges!

  

You may also be interested in the scores of  "Public Participation in Science Research" projects that are in place around the state!  Whether it be photographing king tides, counting amphibians, observing ants, or mapping ocean debris, laypeople are contributing to scientific understanding in many ways.  

March 27-29 Green Schools National Conference, Sacramento    "Working Together for Healthy, Sustainable Schools"  Register Now!  Scholarships available from CalRecycle, the folks who bring us the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum! With the goal of introducing teachers to EEI and school sustainability practices, CalRecycle offers a limited number of full-registration at the conference OR  all-day 3/27 Water Education workshop (EEI Curriculum and Project Wet) scholarships!   Email Christy Porter Humpert  (916-341-6771)  no later than March 16th. First come, first served, so act quickly. Sorry, no funds are available to cover subs.  Green Technology Summit  April 8 -9, Sacramento Convention Ctr. Attend the state's largest annual event highlighting innovations in green policy, practice and technology!  CalRecycle is sponsoring scholarships for the summit!  Attend the EEI sessions on April 9th and get full access to the entire conference for the day. Lunch is included.  Email Cindy Dangberg (626-577-5700).   First come, first served, so act quickly. Sorry, no funds are available to cover subs.            Make a Special Note of  Track 6 on April 9th Connect the Classroom to the Campus: Using the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum   Join Manteca Unified School District (MUSD) Sustainability and Education Coordinator, Victoria Brunn and 4th grade elementary school teacher, Laura Dax Honda, as they share valuable tips and insights on blending classroom instruction with campus based projects using the new groundbreaking  K-12 environmental education curriculum.    Subscribers enter EEI to receive a 20% discount off the price of the one day pass on April 9.         Submit a Presentation by March 31, 2014 for the  NAAEE 2014 43rd Annual Conference NAAEE is seeking dynamic and engaging proposals for the October conference!   Read about this year's strands and formats and send in your  proposal by March 31st.

4/13     5/16  National Environmental Education Week is April 13-19 Join the nation's largest celebration of environmental education, inspiring environmental learning and stewardship among K-12 students.  More online.      Celebrate Endangered Species Day   The 9th annual Endangered Species Day is an ideal opportunity for teachers and students to learn about the importance of protecting threatened and endangered plant and animal species. In addition to classroom discussions, there are several ways to participate. Plan events earlier in May, on Endangered Species Day or the following weekend! Your Toolkit and Teacher Resources are available  online.