Utah Needs an ELP - We Need Your Input!

Help USEE Develop an Environmental Literacy Plan for Utah! 

“An environmentally literate person is someone who, both individually and together with others, makes informed decisions concerning the environment; is willing to act on these decisions to improve the wellbeing of other individuals, societies, and global environment; and participates in civic life.” Developing an Environmental Literacy Plan (ELP) is part of our vision to build a culture of environmental literacy, knowledge, and action to create a sustainable future for Utah. Environmental education is the practice through which environmental literacy can be achieved. Learners of all ages in Utah should have the opportunity to participate in environmental education programs, to help cultivate their knowledge, build connections to the natural world and develop the skills to make sound decisions regarding the environment. 

ELPs provide statewide guidance on environmental education and literacy.  These vary in nature from state to state. For example, some have mandates for state standards or graduation requirements and some are simply guidance documents. USEE spearheaded an ELP effort in the early 2010s. Given recent developments at the state level, including the Utah Every Kid Outdoors Initiative, new state standards for science and outdoor recreation, and the increased attention on the benefits of outdoor learning brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic, now is the time to reinvigorate these efforts. 

We invite you to participate in an upcoming ELP Listening Session to provide your input and insights. You can also see individuals who have participated in previous listening sessions by clicking here. 

We will continue to host Listening Sessions through the end of April. After that, we'll release an additional survey about the plan. USEE will convene working groups this summer to begin developing a draft framework as well as policy ideas. We welcome your ideas and involvement! To learn more, contact