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Earth Stewards


 

A Partnership Among Resource Professionals, Neighborhood Schools and Communities

Earth Stewards is a three-year pilot program based in Pleasantville/Atlantic City, NJ; Columbia, MO; Lafayette, LA; Chicago, IL; Pierre, SD; Chico, CA; and Anchorage, AK, which empowers members of the community to become stewards of fish and wildlife habitats.

At each Earth Stewards site, resource professionals from either the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Division (BRD) use their expertise and facilities to develop an environmental education program with teachers, students (K-12), parents, and community members.

MAJOR COMPONENTS

During a given school year, students study a natural resource theme of local relevance. Through a designated Conservation Week--an intensive week-long program--teachers from a variety of disciplines integrate the environmental topic into their classroom lessons and reinforce the topic by exploring myriad approaches to a conservation problem. Student activities mirror the role of scientist, lawmaker, journalist, homebuilder, or other profession.

Both before and after the week-long program, teachers reinforce what is learned through additional studies, discussion, and field trips. Programs focus on a specific topic, such as biodiversity, wetlands, endangered species, or Neotropical migratory birds, providing students with the opportunity to explore and understand the complexity of an issue.

The program results in the identification, design, and implementation of a community-based stewardship project that is a logical extension of the conservation theme.

Teachers receive assistance from resource professionals in developing lesson plans on a local resource issue, in acquiring or assembling education kits, and in selecting training workshops that will help them prepare delivery of lessons on the selected natural resource theme.

Earth Stewards provides teachers with new ways to engage students in science and other core curriculum subjects by offering hands-on activities, professional mentors, and community stewardship projects. In addition, Fish and Wildlife Service and BRD resource professionals receive training to sharpen their skills as educators.

BRD Participation. Two BRD centers participate in the Earth Stewards program: the Columbia Environmental Research Center focuses on big rivers and the National Wetlands Research Center focuses on wetlands.

SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM

Earth Stewards was developed jointly by the Fish and Wildlife Service's National Office of Training and Education. The first year's funding will be provided by a challenge grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The grant consists of $80,000 in federal funds to be matched by a minimum of $16,000 from State and private sources. Donations for the project must be sent to the Foundation to count toward the challenge requirement.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

For more information on how you and your organization can get involved in Earth Stewards, call:

Claire Cassel
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Office of Training and Education
Arlington, VA 22203
703/358-2504




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