EE event in Charlotte Harbor

 From CHNEP:

The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program (CHNEP) would like to hold a day-long program for people who are involved with environmental education in the CHNEP study area that includes Polk, Hardee, DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee counties. We would like everyone with an interest in environmental education to attend. We held a similar program in 2002 at Edison College in Charlotte County. Since then we’ve held professional development opportunities (see list below) at least once a year. We won’t be able to compensate you for the time you spend with us but refreshments and lunch will be provided.

If you think you would like to attend, by July 8 please complete the online survey at http://www.doodle.com/nxrssy7ytyxfwn49 to let me know the days that you are available. When you identify yourself in that survey, please type your name and email address so I can be sure you receive future updates.

Please feel free to forward this message to others you think may have an interest in this program. (Please accept my apologies if you receive this message more than once.)

Please also email me if you would like to volunteer to help develop this program or if you have thoughts you’d like considered. (Thanks Deb Hanson, Brenda Crew and Melissa Nell who have already “volunteered.”)

Ideas for the agenda include:

§  Introductions and Networking

§  Professional development. Ideas received so far include:

o   Social media

§  Brainstorm cooperative environmental education projects / consider relationships so that CHNEP can be more prepared when grants come available.

§  Consider how CHNEP can provide additional support to others who are helping implement the CCMP, our plan to protect the environment. Support has included micro-grants, public outreach grants, Adventures in the Charlotte Harbor Watershed,newsletter, various videos and more.

§  New services:

o   CHNEP water atlas (beta version available at http://dev.chnep.wateratlas.usf.edu): ways to build on data in atlas and to provide data

o   Florida Stormwater Supersite (www.watersheded.com): interactive web database of digital education materials, data and social marketing research and projects related to stormwater management soon to be launched (Subscribe athttp://www.editype.com/FSE/FSE_subscribe.html)

o   CHNEP National Geographic Marine Recreation E-Learning Program about habitats and animals protected by federal and state laws and local ordinances. Target audience are those in the marine recreation industries. E-learning programs use technology to enable people anytime and anywhere to partake in online educational videos, instructional materials and more. A pre- and post-quiz will be associated with each topic to determine the knowledge and understanding before and after participating in the online program. A certification of participation will be provided to those who complete the entire series and whose score indicates understanding of the animals, habitats and laws that exist to protect them. This project will also develop ties with the marine recreation community who then can be asked to participate in additional efforts.

§  Discuss how to improve partnership between schools and centers to encourage and promote field experiences for students, including identifying how barriers can be overcome

·         This summer I’ll learn if CHNEP will receive the BWET grant from NOAA. It has students learning about their local environment then sharing their knowledge through social media (think pen pals) with students in another part of the watershed. This project may be able to incorporate Deb Hanson’s suggestion: I’d also like to see us share ideas about getting a collaborative research-based project going where students in all areas of the CHNEP region are conducting research, collecting data on the same essential question – and collecting it in a central database online, sharing, analyzing, discussing, and even choosing to act on behalf of the environment as a result. (Does anyone know of anyone in the area who is doing such a project or someone from the outside who has succeeded and could come share with us?)

·         Are there issues or laws the group would like to discuss? Fertilizer bans, environmental literacy, phosphate EIS, MFL, NNC, . . .

·         Field trip?

After July 8 I will identify a meeting location, using the results Doodle survey to help determine the room size. I will then work with those who offer to help plan the program with the expectation that we’ll have a working agenda to send to everyone by mid-August with an invitation to participate.

Thank you.

Maran Brainard Hilgendorf, Communications Manager

mhilgendorf@swfrpc.org, Phone ext 240

Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program

1926 Victoria Ave, Fort Myers FL 33901-3414

239/338-2556, Toll-free 866/835-5785, Fax 239/338-2560