Adopt the Guidelines
How can your organization promote quality environmental education? The answer is, Adopt the Guidelines! NAAEE and the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education are encouraging stakeholder groups to Adopt the Guidelines and apply them to their work. By adopting the Guidelines, your organization will help to develop awareness of the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education, improve the quality of environmental education practice, and build credibility for the field.
What is the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education?
The National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education was initiated by the NAAEE board of directors in 1993. Since its inception, the project has produced a series of documents, published by NAAEE, that provide systematic guidance for the development of quality environmental education curricula and programs. In addition, the Guidelines have helped the field of environmental education develop credibility within Congress, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations across the country.
If our organization/agency adopted the Guidelines, what type of commitment are we making?
By adopting the Guidelines, your organization/agency is committing to:
- Promote the Guidelines around your conference or other events you sponsor
- Promote the Guidelines in your publications
- Actively reach out to other environmental education leaders and demonstrate how the Guidelines can help increase the quality of environmental education programs
- Use the Guidelines when developing programs, funding proposals, requests for proposals, & materials
Are resources available to help us promote use of the Guidelines?
Yes, through the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education website you can access all of the Guidelines publications for free. In addition, we've instituted the Guidelines Trainer's Bureau. Guidelines Trainer's Bureau members are available to give presentations to a variety of audiences on how the Guidelines can be used.
What other organizations or agencies have adopted the Guidelines?
The following is a partial list of national and state groups:
- North American Association for Environmental Education
- Project Learning Tree
- Project WET
- Project WILD
- U.S. Forest Service
- Environmental Education Association of Washington
- Environmental Educators of North Carolina
- North Carolina Office of Environmental Education (NCDENR)
- Texas Environmental Education Partnership
- Texas Association for Environmental Education
- Utah Society for Environmental Education
- Idaho Environmental Education Association
- Kentucky Division of Water, Nonpoint Source Section
- Environmental Education Exchange
- New England Environmental Education Alliance
- Nevada Natural Resource Education Council (NNREC)
- New Hampshire Environmental Educators
- National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)
- Environmental Education Association of Oregon
- Mid-Atlantic Conservation Education Cooperative (MACE)
- Environmental Institute of Houston
- Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education (ANJEE)
- Learning in Florida’s Environment (LIFE)
- League of Environmental Educators of Florida
- Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators
- Environmental Education Connections of South Dakota
- Environmental Education Association of Illinois
- Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education
- Nebraska Alliance for Conservation and Environmental Education
- Arizona Association for Environmental Education
- Environmental Education Association of South Carolina
- Mississippi Environmental Education Alliance
- Environmental Education Association of Alabama
- Tennessee Environmental Education Association
- Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (FTBG)
- The Oregon Natural Resources Education Program
- Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education
OK, we're ready, do you have a sample motion I can take to my board?
The board of directors of NAAEE recognizes the importance of the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education and the contributions it has made to environmental education as a field. NAAEE formally adopts the Guidelines and commits to their use in the development and implementation of association activities.
Well, we're not quite ready. We have more questions. Who do we contact?
Bora Simmons, borasimmons@gmail.com