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
Community Corner
Environmental Education News
Educator’s Corner
EE Jobs, Internships and Volunteer Opportunities
USEE News
Upcoming Events
USEE “Green Bag” Lunchtime Series - Foundations of Environmental Education
December 18, 2007 ~ The Mill at Tracy Aviary, 12:00-1:30pm
Do you know the history of Environmental Education? Do you know current trends in the field and how they may affect your organization? To learn more, come join an informative discussion led by Tim Brown, Executive Director of the Tracy Aviary, about the foundations of Environmental Education. This workshop will be especially helpful for those who are enrolled in or are planning to enroll in the Utah EE Certification Program. 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 December 14th.
News
Utah Environmental Education EE Certification Program
Application Deadline - December 15, 2007
The Utah Environmental Education (EE) Certification Program recognizes EE providers who have demonstrated specific knowledge, skills, experience and conduct in the field of EE, and who adhere to high ethical standards. Certification has a variety of benefits for individuals, organizations, and the field of EE. Individual educators often find that the certification process serves as an important step in their professional development. In meeting high standards of the program, candidates more fully master both the theory and practice of EE, making them more effective as professionals. Perhaps equally important is the statewide network of professional environmental educators that the program fosters. To learn how to apply for the Certification Program, and its requirements, please visit: http://usee.org/capacity/certification or call Andree' Walker at (801)328-1549.
Special Thanks
A big thanks to everyone who participated in our 18th Annual Utah Environmental Education Conference. We couldn’t have done it without your continued support! We especially want to thank the following organizations for their generous contributions:
- Utah Department of Environmental Quality
- JEPS Foundation
- SWCA Environmental Consultants
- Acorn Naturalists
- Cooper, Roberts Simonsen Associates
- Project Learning Tree
Community Corner
Upcoming Events
Wildlife Wednesdays at the Ogden Nature Center
Wednesdays, 3:30 - 4:30pm
Every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. a Wildlife Educator from the Ogden Nature Center will present a short talk about one of the native animal species that call the Ogden Nature Center home. Learn about owls, tortoises, spiders, hawks and more. Members are free, nonmembers pay regular admission: $3 for adults and $1.25 for children.
Holiday Open House at the Ogden Nature Center Nest Gift
Saturday, December 1, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Enjoy holiday shopping, free gift wrapping, kid’s crafts and goodies prepared by our Board of Directors. Also for sale will be fresh holiday swags and centerpieces. All proceeds benefit the Ogden Nature Center’s mission to unite people with nature and nurture appreciation and stewardship of the environment.
Red Butte Garden Holiday Open House and Art Fair!
Saturday & Sunday, December 1 - 2, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Escape the hustle and bustle of the crowded malls and shopping centers this holiday season! Help support the local art community by purchasing your holiday gifts from local artists at the Red Butte Garden Holiday Open House & Art Fair. Take a stroll through the Richard K. Hemingway Orangerie where Utah's finest artists and craftsmen will present their original work for sale, just in time for holiday gift giving. This indoor arts festival will include glasswork, paintings, jewelry, garden décor, and much more!
Free admission for everyone.
Buy Local First Week is Coming!
November 24th - December 1st
Buy Local First Week events will include:
• The “Holiday Boutique” sponsored by the People’s Market at Cup of Joe Coffee Shop, Saturday, November 24th, 200 S. 350 W. in Salt Lake City
• The “Winter Market” at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 W. 3100 S., Friday November 30th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and Saturday, December 1st, from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.
For more exciting information check out their website: http://www.localfirst.org.
Residential Green Building
November 26, 7:00 pm ~ Sprague Library,
As part of their efforts to promote green building in the residential market, the Utah Chapter of the Green Building Council is forming a Residential Green Building Advocacy Group. Each local chapter of the USGBC is also forming a similar group to bring tools that are effective locally and promote green building in vastly diverse climates and markets. If you have questions please call, Chamonix Larsen at 801-550-2341 or email me at chamonixut@netzero.com.
Youth Classes at the Utah Museum of Natural History
Saturdays, Ongoing ~ Salt Lake City
During the school year, UMNH offers Discovery Classes. Held on Saturdays, these enrichment classes allow kids to explore everything from dinosaurs to insects through experiments and hands-on activities. View our current Discovery Class listings. Visit http://www.umnh.utah.edu/museum/PublicPrograms/youthClasses.html for details.
Zoo Lights at Utah’s Hogle Zoo
December ~ Salt Lake City
Throughout December see your zoo like you have never seen it before- transformed into Utah's largest animated holiday light park! Over 150 animal light figures (most of them are animated), holiday music and color changing trees will bring you holiday cheer! Different musical performances and activities nightly, and don't forget the animals! Add roasted almonds, hot chocolate and a deep fried smore, and you have a new holiday tradition for you and your family! Visit http://hoglezoo.org/about/events/ for details and a list of other events taking place at the Zoo!
Did You Know..?
The Story of the Turkey
The Conquistadors, while exploring the Aztec empire found domesticated turkeys, and brought them back to Spain along with other New World foods. According to William Rubel, an expert in traditional American foods, the first birds arrived in Spain in 1498, where they were embraced—turkey was the New World food most easily adopted by Europeans. Mutations occurred, and different breeds of turkeys developed, including the Black and the White Holland. Turkey was established in England by the 1540’s. By the 1570’s they were raised throughout the country, and were already part of the Christmas feast. When the early English settlers arrive at Plymouth Bay they brought Black turkeys with them. The Black was bred with its ancestor, the wild North American turkey. The Narragansett was the result and the other breeds followed: the Standard Bronze was bred from Narragansett and Eastern wild turkeys; the Bourbon Red was developed from the Jersey Buff. (Adapted from, the Nibble Magazine, 2007).
In the 1930s and 1940s, researchers tried to develop a broad-breasted version of the Bronze, working to get a meatier and heavier bird. They eventually produced the Broadbreasted White, a turkey with larger breast, and an ability to grow quickly to an enormous size—both qualities to serve the American appetite for white meat, and lots of it. However, Heritage and wild turkeys are making a comeback! According to varied sources the demand for “fresh” or “organic” turkey has jumped more than 200 percent in the past five years. Overall, the U.S. - based organic Trade Association (OTA) reports, retail sales of organic poultry, not just turkey, have continued to grow, with the association’s most recent data showing a 30 percent leap in organic-bird sales between 2005 and 2006.
Don’t Be a Turkey ….Buy Organic Turkey!
Join us this Thanksgiving by supporting your local organic grocers! Use this website to find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies. http://www.localharvest.org!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Environmental Education News & Events
Regional
Arizona Association for Environment al Education
Interpretive Training for Informal Educators:
Looking to take the next step in your presentation skills? Turn your information into Interpretation at the 'fast-tracked' 1.5 day intensive Interpretation Training for Informal Educators. Whether you're a seasoned interpreter or new to the field, this hands-on training will give you the tools you need to transform your presentations into unforgettable interpretative experiences for your audience. For more info visit: http://arizonaee.org/aaee-events.
Bioregional Outdoor Education Project (BOEP) Annual Conference – Call for Proposals
Submission deadline: December 15, 2007
Be a part of the 8th Annual Bioregional Outdoor Education Conference, “Celebrating the Colorado Plateau: Tracing Our Connections” in Blanding, Utah on February 29 – March 2, 2008! This conference annually brings teachers and educators from the Colorado Plateau together to learn how to better incorporate Place-based education into their classrooms. If you are interested in presenting at this year’s conference, please download a Presenters Guidelines form from the conference page on the BOEP website (www.boep.org) or contact Jon Orris at (435) 587-2156 or jorris@boep.org.
National
Kudos to ESA’s program, Strategies for Ecology Education, Development and Sustainability (SEEDS) and to our very own Jason Taylor, former Director of Education for the Ecological Society of America !
President Bush announced on November 16 that the Ecological Society of America (ESA) is one of the recipients of the 2006 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). ESA is the only organization to receive the 2006 PAESMEM award; the other awardees are all individuals. The award, the highest of its kind in the United States, is supported and administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and includes a $10,000 grant for continued mentoring work. More information about the 2006 PAESMEM Award can be found on the NSF website at: http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=110716&org=NSF&from=news.
Educator’s Corner
Professional Development/ Training Opportunities
Great Basin Earth Institute – Explore Ideas for Creating a Healthy Lifestyle and Community!
Great Basin Earth Institute discussion circles bring people together to examine their relationship with nature and to learn how to adopt healthy lifestyles. Each meeting involves thought-provoking readings and a lively exchange of ideas on how our habits and attitudes affect the environment and what each of us can do to make a difference. To start a group, become a volunteer, or request more information, contact the USEE at (801) 328-1549 or email gbei@usee.org.
NSTA Web Seminars
A new series of NSTA Web Seminars is scheduled through January 2008. Topics include International Polar Year – Earth’s Changing Climate System, Robotics Engineering: Big Toys, Big Fun, Computational Biology, Nanoscale Science, International Polar Year – Living Systems, Visit http://institute.nsta.org/web_seminars.asp for details.
Teacher Resources
Online USEE Directory - are you finding the resources that you need?
Find the best resources in environmental education, local, regional, or across the state. The USEE Directory provides educators, organizations and the general public with environmental education information in one easy to access location! Check it out by going to www.usee.org and linking to Teacher Resource Center (TRC). If you would like information or instructions, please contact USEE at info@usee.org or 801-325-1549.
EPA Kids Club (Pre-K – 4th grade)
If you are looking for a way to stimulate student learning and get your students recognition for their involvement in environmental projects that benefit their community, visit www.epa.gov/kids to sign-up or find out more about the program!
Grants & Awards
2008 Environmental Education Grants
The Grants Program sponsored by EPA's Environmental Education Division (EED), Office of Children's Health Protection and Environmental Education, supports environmental education projects that enhance the public's awareness, knowledge, and skills to help people make informed decisions that affect environmental quality. EPA awards grants each year based on funding appropriated by Congress. Annual funding for the program ranges between $2 and $3 million. Please visit the site to review details about how to apply for an EE grant and to download the 2008 Solicitation Notice, Application, and Budget Form. Applications must be postmarked by the December 20, 2007 deadline. http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/grants.html.
EE Jobs, Internships, & Volunteer Opportunities
Education Specialist – Tracy Aviary
The Education Department at Tracy Aviary seeks a mature, highly motivated and experienced educator to join its Conservation Education Team. Our Education Specialists work to advance the Aviary’s new place-based AVES Project (Avian Ecology in Schools), using the study of birds as the window to science and our environment. Applications are being accepted immediately. No telephone calls please. Send a cover letter, resume and contact information for three references to Bruce Thompson, Director of Education, at brucet@tracyaviary.org or via US mail at: Bruce Thompson, Tracy Aviary, 589 East 1300 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84105.
Full Time AmeriCorps Positions Available for 2008 -Tracy Aviary, Salt Lake City
Positions available January 3, 2008. Applications are being accepted NOW for a full time 6–month (900 hour) or 10–month (1700 hour) commitment, with the possibility of continued employment at a competitive salary, depending on performance. Contact: Bruce Thompson, Director of Education, at brucet@tracyaviary.org or via US mail at: Bruce Thompson, Tracy Aviary, 589 East 1300 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84105.
Hyrum Lake State Park
Hyrum State Park is looking to fill a 3 month position at Hardware Ranch
Wildlife Management Area working with Snowmobile education / information &
the elk sleigh rides education / interpretation. The position runs from December 15th through March 15th, and is 40 hour a week. If interested or have further questions - please contact Floyd Powell or
Lee Gyllenskog at Hyrum Lake State Park, 1-435- 245-6866, or stop by at 405 W. 300 S. in
Hyrum.
For a list of additional environmental education job/internship opportunities visit USEE’s EE Jobs page: http://usee.org/eeinfo/jobs.html.