Waupaca County EYC

1. Waupaca County EYC Environmental Youth Connections Connie Abert, UW-Extension Initiated 2008 University of Wisconsin, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wisconsin counties cooperating. UW-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming including Title IX and ADA.

2. Project Summary /Abstract • The Environmental Youth Connections (EYC) project will provide a direct connection between environmental learning experiences for Waupaca County residents (youth and adults) to local parks, trails and natural resource areas (wcptnra).

3. Needs addressed through EYC • The UW-SP graduate study research the following needs were identified: • 88% of teachers indicted a need for more in-service/training and curriculum; • 63% of teachers indicated a desire to increase outdoor use; • 77% of teachers would like to greater utilize community/school environmental properties; • 79% of teachers need environmental education equipment. • The UWEX survey reinforced the previous information, plus teachers identified: • 66% would be interested in participating in an EYC workshop (learning and service to areas) • In Fall 2007 UWEX invited public stakeholders countywide and they identified a need: • to serve more youth and citizens in natural resource areas they oversee; • to have access to more resources and a volunteer naturalists; • to have outdoor training for staff and volunteers to develop appropriate lesson; • to find financial support for more outreach with volunteers and conservation groups.

4. Significance of These Needs • The significance of these issues not being addressed has health, economic, educational, and environmental impacts • Economics- one of the main economic drivers • Educational- taken away from hands on learning • Environmental- necessary to have professional resources available • Health- recent research on obesity

5. Population to be served • Youth of school age (primarily) • Paid staff and volunteers • will assist in reaching youth Geographic Area to be served • Youth & Adults of Waupaca County • Parks & Natural areas w/ Waupaca County

6. Reaching these populations • Reach youth through staff and volunteers • Reach staff and volunteers • School administration buy in for staff dev time • Classrooms using youth as teachers • Natural resource professional buyin • Conservation group volunteers • Community network

7. Involvement in design/implementation • Teacher surveys • Teacher designed lesson plans, kits, maps • Natural resource stakeholders site utilization • Financial contributions • EYC Advisory Group

8. Expand/Compliment/Collaborate • Expand on previous Land and Water program • Collaborate with County Park and Hartman Creek State Park • Compliment conservation groups, trail groups • Build system for natural area network

9. EYC and mission of WC/UWEX • Waupaca County • Promotes WC natural resource areas • Promotes stewardship of WC areas • UW-Extension • Addresses local needs • Innovative approach • University resources to residents • High standard and Quality programming • Educational network and partnerships

10. Community Support & Capacity • Past accomplishments • Environmental Education Initiative • Explore and Discover • Land Use Planning Curriculum • Financial support • Resources created • Capacity to accomplish EYC • School support • Parks and natural resource professionals • Volunteer base • Advisory board

11. Project Outcomes • Increased awareness of natural areas • Increased knowledge of ee topics • Increased resources available • Increased resource utilization from training • Long term • Increased stewardship/ownership of areas • Increased support for EYC system

12. EYC benefits • Youth outcomes • Staff and volunteer efficiencies • Targeted best practice for ee • Natural Resource capacity to support ee • Paid staff and increased trained volunteers • Park educational resources available • System to support ee connections to local natural resource areas • Access • Advisory board

13. Program implementation/timeline • Inventory • Promote involvement • Creating resources (lessons, kits, maps) • Access (web, libraries, parks, schools) • Training • Evaluation • Advisory oversight • Advisory sustainability (repeat)

14. Staff and Volunteers • Connie Abert-project oversight, training & evaluation • Task performed on other grants • Parallel to UWEX & Waupaca County mission • Kristi Jackson, consultant-EYC coordinator develop resources, training, communication • Previous work with Land & Water-EE Initiative • RR Trail/Tree Advisory Board • Staff and volunteers-create and implement resources • Natural resource background for resources • Natural resource site specialty

15. Evaluation • EYC event evaluation by youth (survey) • Increase of awareness and knowledge • Increase stewardship & ownership (long term survey) • EYC event evaluation by staff and volunteers (survey) • Increase capacity to teach • Ease in utilization of resources & sites • EYC system &Advisory Board evaluation • Easy access to resources and use at sites (survey and website evaluation) • Increased support for EYC purpose to promote ee connection to natural areas (focus groups/surveys)

16. Evaluation Results • Will be disseminated to individuals and partners in school, communities, business and conservation groups • Will be used for future promotion • Will be used for process improvement and secured funding • Will be used as a guide for best practice in environmental education

17. EYC Current & Future Funding • Current • Conservation Groups (cg) • Whitetails and Pheasants Forever • ATC grant • Inkind – school, community, cg, business • Future • ATC grant • WEEB 1000, 5000, 20000-forest • Community Foundation • Conservation groups • Service groups • Inkind - school, community, cg, business