Environmental Education:
The Natural Connection to Learning

"Audubon’s 2020 vision begins with children out-of-doors, in nature, on the land. A vision based on the observation that people will work to protect only what they value, and value only what they understand."

John Flicker, Audubon president and CEO

Audubon’s Environmental Education Campaign is about linking students to the world around them, to study nature, in nature, to study birds, to restore wetlands, and to observe the complexity of a world that they will inherit. It is about hands-on learning, problem solving, team building, and community service.

Audubon has a long history of providing environmental education experiences for the public. Through programming at Audubon centers and sanctuaries, as well as through other programs, we help children, families, and adults from all walks of life develop an understanding and appreciation of birds, other wildlife and their habitats. Audubon Adventures, a dynamic, classroom-based lesson series, provides students with reading and writing lessons in the content areas of science and environment.

LEARN MORE ABOUT AUDUBON'S ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

What is Audubon’s Environmental Education Campaign? It is a comprehensive effort to reach out to the American public and to strategic partners.

• Highlighting quality curriculum reviews and the North American Association for Environmental Education guidelines to enable educators to evaluate and select accurate, objective, and thorough teaching materials.
• Supporting the re-authorization of the National Environmental Education Act, providing training, grants, and support for environmental education.
• Establishing an Environmental Education Partnership with the U.S. Department of Education with opportunities for research, publication, and partnership.
• Promoting hands-on field study opportunity with nature centers, parks, zoos, and other community resources.
• Promoting balanced, science-based curriculum linking the academic disciplines with real world issues.
• Sharing environmental education research, best practice models, and funding sources.

Does environmental education make a difference?

Absolutely.

• All students, including at-risk, gifted, and special education students, benefit from environmental study (National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, 2000).
• Research shows that academic achievement, teacher satisfaction, discipline, and student engagement improve significantly when schools use the environment as a context as an integrating context for learning (Lieberman and Hoody, l998).

Positive community environmental behavior improves (Ramsey, l987). Environmental literacy is best achieved when schools include community investigation, citizenship participation, and environmental study (Volk and McBeth, l998).

Join Audubon in its campaign in support of environmental education.