Landscape Analysis Unlocks Potential for Environmental Education

Guest column by Ashley Hoffman

In a world facing pressing environmental challenges, the role of education in understanding these issues cannot be overstated. A recent landscape analysis conducted by the Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance (SEEA) has unveiled valuable insights that shed light on the state of environmental education in K-12 schools in the southeastern United States.

The landscape analysis draws upon survey data from more than 600 PreK-12 teachers and administrators across eight southeast states. Our primary goal is to provide a holistic view of environmental education within this region. As the Executive Director of the Kentucky Association for Environmental Educators (KAEE) and the Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance (SEEA), I am excited to share these study results in an effort to unite educators, administrators, legislators, funders, government and agency professionals, business and industry stakeholders, as well as individuals across the southeast in our shared commitment to advancing environmental literacy.

The landscape analysis explores the extent to which environmental education is integrated into school curricula, the needs and priorities of educators, barriers to implementation and much more. These insights reveal not only the current state of environmental education in K-12 schools but also the paths we must tread to bring outdoor learning and environmental education into every classroom. The data collected in this landscape analysis should be a call to action for educators, administrators and policymakers to prioritize and invest in environmental education and outdoor learning.

One of the key findings of the analysis highlights the frequency of outdoor learning activities. Unfortunately, only 10% of educators reported taking their students outside on a daily basis, while a majority did so once or twice a month to a few times a year. This infrequency confirms that outdoor learning is a non-normative practice in most schools.

On a slightly more positive note, 32% of teachers are already incorporating outdoor learning into their instruction, with 61% expressing interest in doing so but needing support. This data suggests that there is a strong appetite for outdoor education among educators. However, one of the primary obstacles they face is logistics, which includes issues related to scheduling, time, distance and clean-up.

Another significant challenge identified was the limited access to field trips for students due to transportation costs, time constraints and site fees. And just 57% of schools have been able to make environmental education field trips accessible to all students, indicating a need for greater diversity and inclusion in these educational experiences. Furthermore, 21% of educators indicated that they had received no professional development in outdoor or environmental education, emphasizing the need for training and support for teachers.

The analysis also delves into climate science education, revealing that 66% of educators are teaching about climate science, but 50% spend less than 10 hours per year on this crucial topic, and most do not feel confident in their ability to teach it effectively.

To address these challenges and enhance environmental education in the classroom, the study identified several key resources that would be most helpful. These include teaching materials and lesson supplies, field trips, guest educators, standards-based lessons, professional development and best practices for teaching outdoors.

One of the most exciting aspects of this landscape analysis is the creation of a user-friendly dashboard, which allows educators and stakeholders to access detailed findings from the analysis. This dashboard can be customized to filter the location of schools, the type of schools, grade levels and the level of confidence reported in providing environmental education. It's a valuable tool for anyone interested in understanding and improving the state of environmental education in their area.

To access the detailed findings from the analysis, including the dashboard, I encourage everyone to visit www.southeastee.org/landscape-schools. By gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in environmental education, we can work together to create a brighter, more environmentally conscious future for our children and our planet.

KAEE announces new board members

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky., Nov. 10, 2023 – The Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) has announced the appointment of two new members to their board of directors. David Logsdon, an Environmental Educator/Naturalist with Pathfinders of Perry County, and Louis Ross, Manager of Environmental Education and Research Center for Kentucky State University, were elected by KAEE membership earlier this year, and their term officially began during the Excellence in EE Awards Luncheon on Friday, Sept. 15 at the Cave Area Conference Center in Cave City.

“We are excited to welcome David and Louis to our board of directors,” said Ashley Hoffman, Executive Director of KAEE. “They each bring a wealth of experience in environmental education and will undoubtedly be a huge asset to our team.”

David Logsdon

In his capacity at Pathfinders of Perry County, Logsdon serves a diverse audience in rural and suburban areas, often navigating the intricacies of economic diversity within his community. His outreach spans various demographics, ranging from upper-middle to lower-upper-class individuals who share a passion for outdoor recreation to lower-income students in local schools.

Logsdon serves as a board member at Pathfinders of Perry County, where he actively contributes to the organization's mission and vision. Additionally, his credentials include being a Kentucky Master Naturalist, a Certified Interpretive Guide recognized by the National Association of Interpretation (NAI), and a Facilitator Trainer for various environmental education programs, including Project Learning Tree, Project WILD, Project WET, and the NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence.

An area of interest for Logsdon includes strengthening the network of environmental education providers. “Who I am as a human is very much a result of environmental educators and interpreters,” Logsdon said. “My childhood is filled with meaningful encounters with natural phenomena that taught me to care deeply about the world around me. As a father of three wonderful boys, I feel a great need to pour back into the EE community that served me so that my children and the rest of my community can be impacted in the same way that I was. Our region has been historically under-served and under-represented in the EE community and my hope is that my [board] membership could correct this historical deficit.”

Louis Ross

Ross’s professional journey spans various educational sectors, including PreK-12, postsecondary education and cooperative extension. His outreach efforts cover the entire state of Kentucky, allowing him to engage with diverse audiences, from K-12 youth to university students and professionals in the fields of education, land management and environmental science.

Ross serves as a member of the Safety Committee at Kentucky State University and represents the institution in the Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition (KSEC) and Kentucky Organization of Field Stations (KOFS), and is a member of KOFS.

Areas of interest for Ross include equipping schools and educators to nurture environmentally literate students and green career-ready graduates, and fostering an equitable, just, inclusive and accessible environmental education community. “My interest in serving as a member of this board centers on my devotion to environmental education,” Ross said. “I am honored to sit on this board. I have enjoyed my time on action teams in KAEE because of the fantastic people and the work we get done when we work together.”

The KAEE Board of Directors work together to increase environmental knowledge and community engagement in Kentucky through the power of environmental education. New board members are elected each fall at the annual KAEE conference and join a core team of KAEE representatives from across Kentucky. Board members serve two years as they work to provide strong leadership for the organization and improve environmental education efforts throughout the state.

To learn more about KAEE, visit www.kaee.org.

Kentucky Association for Environmental Education Receives $526,500 Urban and Community Forestry Grant

The Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $526,500 Urban and Community Forestry Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. This funding, which will be distributed over the next five years, is set to support critical environmental initiatives in Kentucky's most disadvantaged communities, with a focus on education, urban greening, and climate resilience.

Empowering Communities and Students

The Urban and Community Forestry Grant aims to achieve a variety of long-term goals in Kentucky. One of the key objectives is to engage students in green career exploration and experiential learning, while also addressing environmental and social inequities in urban spaces. The funding will help increase urban tree canopy in disadvantaged neighborhoods and will enhance the professional development of educators, giving them the tools and knowledge to teach about climate change, urban forestry, and sustainability.

KAEE plans to implement this project through three distinct strategies:

Strategy 1: Green Career Exploration and Experiential Learning

A central focus of this initiative is to inspire Kentucky students to pursue careers in environmental sustainability and stewardship. This will be achieved by creating a dedicated career pathways website that will provide students, school counselors, and educators with comprehensive resources and guidance on green career opportunities. The initiative will also encourage PreK-12 schools to participate in the Kentucky Green Schools (KGS) program, which promotes sustainability and environmental education within schools.

Additionally, the program will offer subgrants to schools in underserved communities, supporting initiatives that focus on climate literacy, resilience, and urban tree canopy coverage on school grounds. KAEE will also organize a Student Leadership Clinic and provide mentorship and internship opportunities in green careers to give students real-world experience and insights into sustainability careers.

Strategy 2: Expanding Urban Tree Canopy and Building Climate Resilience

Another major component of the project is to increase the urban tree canopy in Kentucky’s disadvantaged communities, which is critical for improving climate resilience. Subgrants will be awarded to support local urban greening projects that promote climate literacy and environmental sustainability. Through this initiative, KAEE aims to empower communities and schools to take action on climate change while ensuring the equitable distribution of urban tree canopy.

This strategy will focus on fostering community-based projects that align with the broader goals of sustainability, climate resilience, and urban forestry. A thorough application process will ensure that funded projects are both innovative and impactful, contributing to the long-term health and vibrancy of Kentucky’s urban areas.

Strategy 3: Educator Professional Development in Climate Literacy and Green Jobs

To ensure that Kentucky educators are equipped to teach the next generation of environmental leaders, KAEE will offer professional development workshops on climate literacy, green jobs, and urban forestry. These workshops will be open to both formal and informal educators and will take place in both school and community settings to maximize accessibility.

By leveraging existing curricula and resources, these workshops will help educators integrate critical environmental topics into their teaching, empowering students to make informed decisions about sustainability and environmental issues. Feedback mechanisms will be used to assess the effectiveness of these professional development efforts, ensuring that educators receive the most up-to-date and relevant information on these crucial topics.

A Historic Investment in Urban Forestry

The Urban and Community Forestry Grant is part of a larger effort by the USDA Forest Service, which is distributing more than $1 billion in competitive grants to help communities plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat, and enhance access to nature in cities, towns, and suburbs. These funds are part of the Justice40 Initiative, which aims to direct 40% of federal climate-related investments to disadvantaged communities. The grant funding is made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in U.S. history.

KAEE Executive Director Ashley Hoffman expressed her excitement about the grant, saying, “At KAEE, our daily mission closely aligns with the nature of this grant, and we are thrilled about the new opportunities this funding will usher in for both our organization and the Commonwealth at-large. Our commitment to environmental education is mirrored in the priorities outlined by this grant, such as fostering community engagement in urban forestry planning and sustaining trees, which are integral aspects of our everyday efforts.”

To learn more about the Urban and Community Forestry Grants, visit the USDA Forest Service’s official page at www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/urban-forests/ucf/2023-grant-funding.