Partners

(currently any group that sends a representative to at least one meeting a year)

State Agencies

Missouri Department of Conservation

Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Missouri Division of Tourism

Colleges and Universities

University of Missouri - Columbia

Maryville University

Central Missouri State University

Schools

St. Charles Public Schools

Organizations

Missouri Audubon

Missouri Botanical Garden

Missouri Parks Association

Sierra Club

St. Louis Zoo

Wonders of Wildlife, Springfield

Discovery Center, Springfield

Political Divisions

City of Springfield Parks and Solid Waste Divisions

St. Louis Health Department: Environmental Division

Businesses

Hazardous Waste Inc

Missouri Environmental Literacy Working Group

Vision: Environmentally Literate Citizenry

Mission: Support Environmental Literacy by fostering

• Appreciation of nature
• Understanding of how nature works
• Action using the social, political and eocnomic tools available to citizens in a democratic society.

Value: Provide networking and communication among agencies, organizations, institutions and businesses

Partners: Any agency, organization, institution or business interested in supporting environmental literacy

Logistics: Currently, MU Environmental Studies (Jan Weaver) maintains the list, finds free meeting space, and sends out the notice of the meetings. On an irregular basis we may write up what was shared and distribute the information by email to the people on the email list, who may use it any way they wish. Food is potluck, lunch is on your own dime. Time, gas and parking are not reimbursed.

Meeting Dates and Locations (3 meetings a year)

• February, the afternoon before the annual Conservation Federation of Missouri Meeting at the Lake of the Ozarks
• July, the afternoon before the annual Missouri Chamber of Commerce Environmental Conference at the Lake of the Ozarks
• November, the afternoon before the annual Missouri Environmental Education Conference in Columbia
  • November 3, 1 to 5 pm, MU Campus, Columbia Missouri
    • Agenda: Formalize Partner Status (who gets listed on website), survey idea, partner reports

For specific dates, times and locations of meetings, to get on the email distribution list, or to add items to the agenda, email Jan Weaver - weaverjc@missouri.edu

Meeting Reports

February 8, 2005, Columbia Holiday Inn

We held an Environmental Literacy Summit in Columbia coordinated by the Missouri Environmental Education Association and funded from a grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Summit brought together over 85 stakeholders from agencies, organizations, educational institutions and businesses. The goal of the summit was to report on progress on state environmental literacy goals set in 1995 and to choose goals for the next decade. The "goals" identified were:

Stewardship

• speaking with one voice;
• strengthen existing stewardship programs; and
• involve Faith-based groups.

Changes

• provide EE for young children and families;
• use a greater range of resources;
• utilize service learning as a way to provide EE, and
• find EE champions.

Infrastructure

• strengthen the existing EE network;
• include EE in state standards;
• support professional certification;
• provide dedicated tax support; and
• school report cards.

February 9, 2005, Columbia Holiday Inn

We commenced planning to accomplish the goals of the summit. We compiled the results from the summit and developed a tentative timeline of steps to take for the future. The list below indicates the status of steps to be taken in parentheses (as of August 2006)

• 2005
  • summarize summit results - decide how they should be distributed (done - by email)
  • set up a steering committee (need to outline purpose, structure, funding, leadership) (no steering committee, but did develop vision, mission, value statements and settled on a really simple structure)
  • develop a specific work plan (who, what , when, where, how) (done - but much simpler than originally conceived)
  • enlist partners (on going)
  • coordinate with statewide EE conference in November (done)
• 2006
  • hold a second summit (nothing in the works)
  • engage new audiences (identified religious groups and businesses, but no concrete steps taken)
  • coordinate special events (none planned except for three meetings a year)
• 2007
  • hold a third summit (nothing in the works)
  • evaluate changes in programs, policies, etc. (floated the idea of an annual statewide survey)

March 23, 2005, Columbia Public Library

The goal of the meeting was to assess progress on steps outlined at the February meeting after the summit and to continue developing a plan of action to carry through the goals set at the summit

• email summary of summit report to participants (done)
• full report to EPA (done)
• posted on Missouri EE Assoc website (?)
• exec summary tying EE to health, economy, education (partially done - testimony to Gov Blunt's task forces on resources and education)
• meeting with Governor (not done, but reported to Govs task forces)
• distribute more detailed report to participants (not done)
• invite other stakeholders to join effort (partially done)
• investigate models for structure of statewide organization (at the November meeting we settled on a simple model of organization for the time being)
• hold meeting in July (not done)
• hold meeting in November (done)

November 4, 2005 Columbia, MU Campus

in conjunction with 9th Annual Environmental Education Conference

• Glenda Abney - Missouri Botanical Garden
• Susan Flader - Missouri Parks Association, Missouri Audubon
• Jan Weaver - University of Missouri Columbia
• Jim Lubbers - Missouri Department of Natural Resources, NCATE (teacher ed certification organization)
• Lorna Domke - Missouri Department of Conservation
• Jennifer Mittlehauser - Central Missouri State University Warrensburg
• Barbara Lucks - City of Springfield
• Erin Martin - Discovery Center, Springfield
• Debra Lee - Division of Tourism
• Roy Hengerson - Sierra Club
• Eve Cooney - St. Louis Zoo
• Toby Ross - Hazardous Waste Incorporated
• Melvin Johnson - City of Springfield Parks Department
• Brian Peck - St. Charles Public Schools
• Sara Parker - Wonders of Wildlife

There was general agreement we did not have the time or resources to create a new infrastructure as envisioned in the previous environmental literacy plan. We concluded that the best initial step would be to just get together to find out what each group was doing and see if some logical partnerships emerged from those meetings.

We agreed on three meetings a year, held in conjunction with some existing related meeting. In February, the meeting will be held the afternoon before the Missouri Conservation Federation meeting. We still need to find a summer meeting that is appropriate. The November meeting will be held the afternoon before the Environmental Education Conference.

Our Name, Vision, Mission

Vision: Environmentally Literate Citizenry

Mission: Support Environmental Literacy by fostering

• Appreciation of nature
• Understanding of how nature works
• Action using the social, political and eocnomic tools available to citizens in a democratic society.

Value: Provide networking and communication among agencies, organizations, institutions and businesses

Partners: Any agency, organization, institution or business interested in supporting environmental literacy

Meetings: 3 meetings a year to share information- expenses are not reimbursed, lunch on your own dime

Ideas from the summit were placed within EE framework, then identified with each group's mission

• Appreciation: Barbara Lucks (Springfield), Sara Parker (WOW), Debra Lee (Tourism), Susan Flader (Audubon and MPA)
  • Creative Outdoor Play
  • Getting Outdoor Curriculum Used
  • Promote Outdoor Rec
• Understanding: Erin Martin (Discover Center), Lorna Domke (MDC)
  • New Audiences
  • Faith-based Groups
  • Families & Young Children
  • Pre service
  • School Admin
  • After School
• Action: Eve Cooney, Jim Lubbers (DNR)
  • Expand Stewardship
  • Service Learning
  • Recognize EE Champions
  • School Report Cards
• Build & Sustain: Jan Weaver (MEEA), Susan Flader (Audubon)
  • Infrastructure to support Other Goals
  • One Voice
  • Range of Resources
  • Certification
  • Tax Support
  • State Standards

Partner Reports

Springfield

• Held a summit August 19 for environmental and conservation organizations in Springfield to come together and discuss what, if any, projects they would like to tackle as a group

St. Louis Zoo

• The zoo rejoined MEEA as an institutional member and followed through on getting some of their workshops approved as certification courses (category 1). It has reinforced their commitment to doing environmental education and to taking action in the surrounding Forest Park community.

NCATE

• Missouri has 37 teacher education programs which may be accredited through NCATE. NCATE is considering adding environmental education to the programs it certifies, which may allow us to get EE into the programs in the state that are accredited by NCATE.

Missouri Botanical Garden

• Richard Louv, who wrote "Last Child in the Woods" will be speaking in St. Louis in July as part of the horticultural conference taking place. There might be an opportunity for us to have our summer meeting in conjunction with his talk.

Missouri Department of Conservation

• Field trip grants, learning kits and outdoor classroom grants are available
• New aquatic education curriculum for 6-8 grades tied to GLEEs will be piloted.

February 24, 2006, Osage Beach Public Library

in conjuction with Conservation Federation meeting

• Glenda Abney - Missouri Botanical Garden
• Jan Weaver - University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri River Relief
• Jim Lubbers - Department of Natural Resources
• Sara Parker - Wonders of Wildlife, Springfield Discovery Center
• Debra Lee - Missouri Division of Tourism

Planning

Need from each group - vision, goals, strategy/mission

Possible Partner groups

• Angie Ghelert - MORA
• Linda Lacy and Liz Peterson - MNEA, MSTA, STOM
• Glenda - Religious organizations, NPS, Abitibi, Waste Management, Busch
• Jim - DNR, Parks
• Sara - Kelly Werner- F&WS, Otto Fajen - MNEA, MO School Board Association,Bob Pierce - Extension, Conservation Federation, Bass Pro
• Erin (in absentia) - Scout organizations, Assembly of God, Green Cross, Utility Assoc
• Other - canoe outfitters, Cabellas, Hallmark

Next Meetings

• Summer - July 28, Richard Louv, St. Louis
• Fall - November before the Environmental Education Conference
• Winter - February before the CFM meeting

Partner Reports

Department of Natural Resources

• The DNR is beginning work on a strategic plan for the Environmental Education Unit within Field Services. Field Services is a new structure within DNR intended to serve citizens.

Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis

• The Children's Garden is the big new project, will be opening weekends in April and full time beginning May 1.
• Chihuly Blown Glass will be featured at the Climatron April 30 through December
• Future Initiatives include drafting a new Interpretive Plan and Increased Evaluation including evaluating professional development for teachers.

Missouri Environmental Education Association, Statewide

• The EE Campus, the 10th annual environmental education conference, will be November 3, 4 and 5 in Columbia at the MU campus.
• MEEA finalized its strategic plan, and will continue to focus on professional development, including the certification program.

Division of Tourism

• Tourism's mission is to advertise and promote existing programs and events, it does not do any development itself. It's goal is to have more visitors, staying longer, and spending more. It is currently exploring the idea of sustainable tourism and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Discovery Center, Springfield

• The LEED certified addition to the center will be completed summer 2006. The center applied for an EPA grant to fund distance and on-site programs, a green badge (for scouting), tours for LEED features, signage to interpret LEED features and a home school day and summer workshops.
• MOTE Marine Lab (Florida) will be presenting a program on the impacts of Midwest choices on marine wildlife.
• Cleanwater Tour by a partnership of Green County, DNR, MDC and the Discovery Center will happen on October 14 through 23. Artist Wyland (marine wildlife painter) will have a decorated maze and there will be free water color lessons.

Wonders of Wildlife, Springfield

• They will begin construction on their Conservation Education Center, and other outdoor exhibits. The outdoor exhibits will have live wildlife, mountain lions, black bear, elk, deer, turkey, otters. Part of the construction will incorporate fuel celll technology.
• National Hunting and Fishing Day, September 23, 2006, will be celebrated with country music star Tracy Byrd.
• NASA exhibit, "Extremeophiles" with Dr. Jonathan Trent opens this spring. Year one of the traveling exhibit will have deep ocean extremophiles, year 2, terrestrial extremophiles, and year 3 space extremophiles.
• Conservation Education Summit late 2006 to get feedback for the Conservation Education Portal.

University of Missouri Columbia

• The environmental student group, Sustain Mizzou, recycled 12 tons of containers at the home football games as part of Anheuser Busch Recycling's program to recycle at home games. Sustain Mizzou is also participating in RecycleMania, a national recycling competition for colleges and universites.
• The Environmental Studies department has a major and a certificate in environmental studies and the School of Natural Resources has a major in environmental science.

Missouri River Relief

• River Relief is pushing its programs upstream to the Missouri beyond Kansas City and is looking to partner with other groups.

July 28, 2006 St. Louis Zoo

1. Missouri Environmental Literacy Working Group
2. Meeting July 28, 2006 St. Louis Zoo
3.  
4. Ginny Wallace - Missouri Department of Conservation
5. Lorna Domke - Missouri Department of Conservation
6. Mary Patterson - St. Louis Department of Health: Environmental Services
7. La'Rhonda Garrett - St. Louis Department of Health: Environmental Services
8. Susan Flader - Missouri Audubon and Missouri Parks Association
9. Jim Jordan - St. Louis Zoo
10. Jim Lubbers - Missouri Department of Natural Resources
11. Nadine Ball - Maryville University
12. Jan Weaver - University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri Environmental Education Association
13. Glenda Abney - Missouri Botanical Garden

• Presentation
• Richard Louv on nature deficit disorder - from "Last Child in the Woods" followed by open discussion
•  
• Organization, Agency, Institution and Business Reports
• Missouri Department of Conservation
• The Master Naturalist Program was established in 2004 and is coordinated by the Department of Conservation and the University of Missouri Extension Division. It is a community- based, adult natural resource education and community service program whose mission is to engage Missourians in stewardship. There is an initial 40 hour course in natural history, conservation and interpretation, 40 hours of volunteer service and 8 hours of continuing education within a 15 month timeframe. There are community chapters in West Plains (Ozark's Chapter), Columbia (Boone's Lick), Joplin (Chert Glades Naturalists), Phelps/Dent Counties (Meramec Hills), St. Charles (Confluence), and Springfield, with a 7th beginning in September in Kansas City. There are 199 who have completed the initial training and 74 have achieved Certified Master Naturalist status. There are training courses beginning this fall in Meramec Hills and Confluence as well as KC. Volunteer projects include restorations, demonstrations, invasive removals, youth education, water quality monitoring, native plant gardens, insect surveys, bird banding and other activities. There are 25 states with MN programs. www.monaturalist.org ginny.wallace@mdc.mo.gov
• The Learning Outdoor Schools Pilot Program is designed to help administrators and teachers deliver hands-on, place-based learning that overcomes burdens of funding and testing by providing learning units, grants and teacher training to participating schools. Key elements: units that meet GLE requirements (aquatic ed grades 6-8 pilot 2006; wildlife grades 3-5 due fall 2007; ecology h.s. fall 2008; and outdoor skills available now); and grants (field experiences linked to units; natural classrooms; instructional materials kits; outdoor skills equipment; teacher training). Approximately 35 schools will be invited to pilot the aquatic unit by taking 6th - 8th graders through a 12-15 hour unit, conduct at least one outdoor activity and complete a program assessment. 
• Other programs include having nature and interpretive centers create programming that complements the educational units in the LOS program, a Missouri Outdoor Families program in the planning stages, and continuing with Missouri's Outddoor Women and various youth and hunting programs. The children's quarterly section in Missouri Conservationist (Inside Out) will be enhanced to complement units and it will be linked to web resources.
•  
• St. Louis Department of Health: Environmental Services
• The Solid Waste Division has set a Diversion Goal of 50% by 2010. They have already diverted 30% and believe they are on track to take care of the next 20%.
• The Resourceful Schools K-12 Recycling Education Program- http://www.resourcefulschools.org/ - serves 400 schools in 24 districts. They are planning on linking it more to "garbage systems" and to focus on the job potential of the reuse sector (4 to 1 compared to disposal). There are also connections with Kiwanis and Rotary.
• E-Cycle St. Louis - http://www.ecyclestlouis.org/ now has the infrastructure in place to handle e-waste from industry and consumers. The website included drop-off locations and details for sites throughout the St. Louis area.
• Resources St. Louis - http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/recycle/Businesses.html is a resource for businesses and industry to help find ways to dispose of various kinds of solid waste.
• La'Rhonda would appreciate people checking out the Environmental Services Finder- http://www.stlouisco.com/doh/environ/environ.html. to see if there are any important environmental issues missing from the website.
•  
• Missouri Audubon
• The Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center in Joplin is now under construction, and will finish May or June next year. They have hired a new education director, Chris Pistol. On September 8th and 9th, the 3rd annual Groovin' at the Glades will feature Peter Gros of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom and on October 14th and 16th there will be a campaign closing event Bridge the Gap to achieve the final campaign goal. 
• Work continues at the Audubon Ark project in St. Louis, an educational boat to take kids and others out on the Mississippi and Missouri around the Confluence. They will be looking for a new director soon.
•  
• Missouri Parks Association
• The MPA Urban Population Outreach Program UPOP began in Kansas City six to seven years ago, and in St. Louis five years ago at the Green Center. This year was the first year in Columbia, with Friends of Rock Bridge Memorial State Park and the first year in Joplin.
•  
• St. Louis Zoo
• CEO Jeff Bonner wants to focus more of zoo's efforts on the affective domain, content knowledge is not enough to get people to care. Zoo staff will be delving into research on the topic so that changes in programming are driven by research findings.
• There is community based environmental education, but no special programs for schools. There is more of a focus on education through influentials
•  
• Missouri Department of Natural Resources
• DNR considering shifting emphasis in the education section away from teacher workshops (Project WET, MO River Workshops, etc.) to more of a focus on Math - Engineering -Technology - Science (METS) education. DNR seen as having potential to help meet METS objectives:
• 1. Improve performance: rigor, technology, literacy, real-life
• 2. Expand pool of students interested in METS careers: incentives, career awareness, alignment with business and industry, in field experinces
• 3. Expand pool of teachers: recruitment, preparation, support in 1st-4th years, compensation, retention
• 4. Expand public awareness of METS jobs: experiences, job shadowing, mentoring
•  
• Maryville University
• Maryville initiated cross campus sustainability meetings in preparation for the October 25, 2006 Greening the Campus, a Society of Colleges and Universities webcast. They are currently in process of discovering what they have already been doing. They are planning to show "Inconvenient Truth" in the spring and explore the concept of Green Building.
•  
• University of Missouri - Columbia
• MU is publishing its third annual sustainability report this summer.
• MU received funding from the National Science Foundation for an Environmental Biology program aimed at under-represented minority (Black/African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Native Pacific Islander) undergraduates. Students receive 14 months of support, including 2 summers interning with state agencies or university researchers. http://umeb.missouri.edu
• It will also be participating in the Greening the Campus webcast on October 25, 2006
•  
• Missouri Environmental Education Association
• MEEA is hosting its 10th annual Environmental Education Conference: Power of Play November 3-5, University of Missouri-Columbia. Keynote speaker Jim Cain will bring 30 years of experience in outdoor education to bear on the issue of play in education. Session strands include: environmental science, environment and society, methods, organizations, and curricula. The conference also includes field trips to Columbia's Wastewater Treatment Plant and Columbia's Landfill, and Drop-in Interest Groups (DIGs) to discuss emerging environmental education issues - should EE be a requirement in teacher ed programs, and should we do a survey of Missourian's environmental literacy. 
•  
• Missouri Botanical Garden
• In January the Garden underwent a restructuring of its education division to enhance its education and interpretation missions. The goal is a more visitor-centered approach. (Stay Tuned)
• The Garden recently opened its new Children's Garden, and is evaluating its ease of use and effectiveness
• Coming up, Earthways is organizing the Energy and Recycling Festival.
•  
• Other business
• Jim Lubbers shared information on his survey of pre-service teacher environmental education programs in the state.
• Jan proposed the idea of a survey to see how environmentally literate Missourian's are. Lorna asked who would use the information and what would it be used for.

Meeting Friday November 3, 2006 Columbia Missouri

Present:

Nadine  Ball    Maryville U. Teacher Edu        314/529-9660

<mailto:nball@maryville.deu>nball@maryville.deu

Christy Cunningham-Saylor 314/733-2539    <mailto:csaylor@alberici.com> csaylor@alberici.com

Sam Faith MO Aquatic Resources Education Coordinator

MDC (for Lorna Domke) 573/522-4115  x 3175    <mailto:sam.faith@mdc.mo.gov>sam.faith@mdc.mo.gov

Susan Flader  Audubon & Mo Parks Association  573/882-8264

<mailto:fladers@missouri.edu>fladers@missouri.edu

Melvin  Johnson Outdoor Initiatives Coordinator, Springfield Parks

and  Rec        417/837-5907    <mailto:mjohnson@ci.springfield.mo.us> mjohnson@ci.springfield.mo.us

Kathleen        Logan Smith 314/727-0600

<mailto:klogansmith@moenviron.org>klogansmith@moenviron.org

Erin    Martin  Springfield Discovery Center, Green Building and

Education Pathways      417/862-9910  x 705

<mailto:emartin@discoverycenter.org>emartin@discoverycenter.org

Mary    Patterson St. Louis County Health Dept. 314/615-68678

<mailto:mpatterson26@stlouisco.com> mpatterson26@stlouisco.com

Jan Weaver  MU Environmental Studies        573/882-3037

<mailto:weaverjc@missouri.edu>weaverjc@missouri.edu

Department of Natural Resources - Jim Lubbers

Environmental Career Fair - Friday April 20, Jefferson City. Earth Day Celebration 10 am to 2 pm the Capitol Grounds; Green Building Tour 11 am and 1 pm the Lewis and Clark State Office Building 1101 E. Riverside Drive (meet in the Lobby); Environmental Career Fair Noon to 6 pm the Truman State Office Building - explore environmental degrees to match environmental careers.

Springfield Discovery Center - Erin Martin

Distance Programming - the SDC offers programs offers programs online used nationwide and in Mexico

LEED Building - going for Gold LEED Certification: solar panels, gray water tank storage, green water. Will develop an educational program around a treasure hunt through the building. There are all kinds of constituents asking for tours

Springfield Watershed Nature Center - will be a green building

Evangelical Environmentalists - interest developing in Springfield. Creating literature for Sunday schools. EPA is seeking grants around faith based approaches for promoting environmental literacy

Recreational Leadership Labs - about 50% faith based now

Springfield Parks and Recreation - Melvin Johnson

Underground Stream program - aimed at connecting 2nd graders to rural ground water quality issues. The city agreed to use a local spill for education (could not call it a kill even though 100% die off and 10-15 years projected before it revives). Reached > 4000 students with information on cave habitats and water quality. Teachers documented the kids' "wet and muddy" experiences and found a 10-12 pt increase in GPA in kids who got wet and muddy compared to those who did not. A formal study of the effects is planned. Next year the goal is to do it for all 5th graders in partnership with Wonders of Wildlife.

Wonders of Wildlife National Outdoor School - working up to hosting that, Roaring River had 273 people this year. Recruits hunters and antihunters to approach wildlife as an environmental issue and find common ground.

New Environmental Park - educated administrators that Audubon and birders must be involved now so they can id what is currently present and ensure that it is saved.

Audubon MO - Susan Flader

Audubon - New director, Bruce Carr

Confluence - planning for a boat at the confluence in St. Louis to take people (esp. teachers) on educational tours

Colecamp Prairie- prairie area south of Sedalia, working with farmers to create a "working" prairie with local education

River Restoration - from KC to St. Joe, still in the planning stages.

Joplin Audubon Nature Center (Wildcat Glades) - Opened, hired Chris Pistol as education coordinator , should be up and running in the summer.

MO Parks Association - Susan Flader

Urban Population Outreach Programs - meeting in December/January to pull together plans for these

St. Louis County Health Department - Mary Patterson

Grant - SL is at a crossroads now, has $40,000 from Resourceful Schools to carry out waste and recycling education in schools. Need to develop curriculum for math and science correlated with GLEs (state Grade Level Expectations). The money comes from surcharge funds that have to be spent for education in industry, institutions and colleges.

New regulations proposed to city council - mandatory recycling, 65 gallon trash and 65 gallon recycling containers. Plan is to go single stream to avoid extra trips and then send baled, commingled materials to Chicago. Mechanical sorting will leave only 7% trash at the end. Downside is office paper.

Missouri Department of Conservation - Sam Faith

No MOre Trash - the MDC and MoDoT anti litter campaign, coordinated by Arleasha Mays (573/522-4115

x3855). uses signs, awareness items and pledge cards (commitment in pledge cards is an important and relatively successful tool)

Stash Your Trash - MDC and Stream Team collaborators, coordinated by Chris Riggert - 573/522-4115 x3167

Learning Outdoors Schools Program - Outreach & Education Division of MDC. Curriculum is teacher-delivered (i.e. teachers teach it), place-based, hands-on, aligned with GLEs and MAP (Missouri test). Program also addresses funding challenges and local connections. Worked with DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) to meet GLEs. There are 5 units of instruction:

SEEDs - preK - 2nd Grade (already available)

Habitat - 3rd Grade - 5th Grade (in development - launch 08-09)

Aquatic Ecosystems - 5th Grade - 8th Grade (pilot launched this year -

3% of 7th graders are using it, full launch in Fall 07)

Ecological Concepts - 9th Grade - 10th Grade

Outdoor Skills - 9th Grade - 12th Grade

Aquatic Ecosystems - Middle school curriculum, has teacher guides and comes with funds for equipment, field trips, teacher training and supplies - the goal is that there should be no barriers to implementation. Currently MDC is recruiting teachers who are interested in adopting the program. There is required compliance during the pilot year, including teacher workshops in the summer by the MDC education consultants. Teachers who attend have access to the grants. But in 07-08 the curriculum will also be offered in print and on the web as a pdf. There will be pre/post testing (of student knowledge/learning about aquatic ecosystems) and teacher surveys. Sam is collecting info from teachers who participate.

Aquatic Resources Education Association (AREA) - working with recreational boating and fishing groups, Children and Nature Network and Conservation Fund to develop nationwide programs promoting education in the outdoors. (http://www.areanet.org/)

RBFF & FFF - grant program for schools to develop outdoor classrooms and field trips (see http://www.rbff.org/ or http://futurefisherman.org/programs/pegrants_application.php).

Alberici - Christy Cunningham Saylor

Vertegy/Alberici Sustainability Consulting - construction education, internal training, sustainability coop in St. Louis.

Missouri Coalition for the Environment - Kathleen Logan Smith (new exec director)

Clean Water Act Standards - education, to prevent, minimize lawsuits. What is a stream? What do the standards need to be to meet requirements of the Act? Focus on flood plain development.

MO Env History documents - University of Missouri St. Louis has MCE's archival collection of documents reaching back 36 years. Applying for grants to digitize and put the collection on the web.

Environmental Expo - in Herman this past summer, attracted 800 people over 2 days. Created by a statewide committee and pulled in nationwide exhibitors.

Public Land Issues - challenging the Mark Twain Forest Plan

TIF - supported bill that would disallow using TIF (tax increment financing) to cover infrastructure costs for developments in floodplains. It lowers costs for developers at the expense of schools.

Upcoming Issues - Doe Run - air quality lawsuits ongoing on behalf of the local community; MSD - the practice of metropolitan sewer districts in allowing sanitary sewer overflow in storm events; Childhood Lead Poisoning

Weaver - University of Missouri

BioBlitz - the Conservation Biology Grad Students held their 3rd BioBlitz, identifying species in the Flat Branch Watershed. The event included naturalist led walks to educate the public about the wildlife in the city. One of the outcomes is a poster featuring the fish found in city streams.

Impacts of Campus Activities on the Environment - annual report produced by the Environmental Affairs Committee and Sustain Mizzou. Energy Management has funded all its green projects through a revolving fund that covers costs of projects with a 5 year payback (conservation savings offset capital costs within 5 years). It has reduced MU's greenhouse gases by 1% (through conservation, hydropower and nuclear power) even though campus area has increased 50%. Construction plans must now address sustainability.

Tiger Tailgate Recycling - 2nd year of initiative funded by Anheuser Busch Recycling and run by Sustain Mizzou had recycled 12 tons of cans and bottles at 5 football games.

Sustain Mizzou - student group on MU campus devoted to sustainability. Average 30 students per meeting. projects: Tiger Tailgate Recycling; Local Food campaign to raise money for food bank to buy fresh local produce raised $3000; compiled impacts report; sustainability tour for EE Campus. Success because of large focus on leadership development.

Ball - Maryville University

Sustainability Task Force - involving members across campus in diverse roles (physical plant, students, faculty, staff, alumni). Oct 25 hosted Campus Sustainability Day for area higher education institutions. This included a SCUP webcast (Society of Colleges and University Planners) on greening the college campus.

Pilot Recycling Projects - Spring we will begin 2 pilot recycling projects, one in the student apartments (for paper and mixed plastic and cans) and one for individual offices (paper). Student government is taking on the organization for the apartments project with plans to analyze results over the summer and go campus wide this fall. The offices project is being led by a scholarship student (MPACT scholarships are for students who take on projects to improve campus life) and involves work-study students as well. We're working closely with Earthways at MOBOT and will also work with St. Louis County to develop an education campaign.

Screening Inconvenient Truth - host a public screening and panel discussion of An Inconvenient Truth on Feb 13, 7 p.m. in the Auditorium. Panel discussants will represent economic, scientific, and socio-political dimensions of the issue and answer questions from the audience.

Strategic Planning for Resource Flow - We are in the middle of strategic planning to secure more reliable resource flow and institutionalize the process. This has the support of the CFO and the President, as well as the deans.

Discussion Points

MDC is focusing on teacher delivered curriculum - it is a more effective use of scarce human resources, plus easier to get the info in the classrooms if supported by the teachers - note of interest, committed teachers are those who have already had positive outdoor experiences

leadership development within student led groups - being committed to the environment is important, but students need experience in setting agendas, running meetings, instilling confidence in members, checking up on follow through, a focus on leadership development in students interested in the environment can have a big payoff.