What We Do

Conservation Education in Iowa: Where Do We Stand?

Over the course of eighteen months, the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition conducted a study on the status of conservation education in Iowa. This study included focus groups, an extensive survey, and in-depth interviews with formal (classroom) and non-formal (non-classroom) educators across Iowa. The final report, completed in January 2020, summarizes the findings from that study and makes recommendations for the future of both ICEC and conservation education in Iowa as a whole.

One particularly important takeaway for ICEC and its members is that ICEC is in a unique position to provide a common platform between and among non-formal partners working with formal education, especially in terms of facilitating collaboration on development, promotion, and support of broad-based, quality conservation education curricula and resources. With the array of resources and providers already in existence, ICEC’s most important role may be to communicate the value of conservation to formal education partners and connect them with existing quality resources and training.

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If you have thoughts, questions, or concerns regarding this project, please email us and the most appropriate project partner will respond.

REAP-CEPThis study and its components were supported by the Resource Enhancement and Protection Conservation Education Program (REAP-CEP). Resource Enhancement and Protection Program (REAP): Invest in Iowa, our outdoors, our heritage, our people. REAP is supported by the state of Iowa, providing funding to public and private partners for natural and cultural resources projects, including water quality, wildlife habitat, soil conservation, parks, trails, historic preservation and more.