ICEC 
Just 15 minutes outdoors makes children happier and more relaxed! The same holds true for adults. Tips for planning outdoor time into your day. For parents: Do homework outside Add outdoor time into your schedule Visit a local park after dinner Backyard picnic once a week Visit local apple orchard or farmer’s market Outdoor reflection … Read more A breath of fresh air
It’s that time of year! ICEC is the professional membership organization for conservation and environmental educators in Iowa. Please continue to be a part of our community. Basic annual membership begins at the $30 level. Membership needs to be paid by the end of January 2021. Members can also contribute additional funds to help support … Read more Membership renewal time
Equity and Inclusion in Environmental Education For 2021, ICEC’s annual Winter Workshop will be held virtually and will focus on issues of equity, inclusion, and access for all in environmental education. A later announcement will have full details on the panel discussions, conversations, webinars, and self-guided modules that will make up a series of events … Read more 2021 Winter Workshop
Below are the candidate statements for ICEC’s Executive Committee nominees for the 2021-2023 term. ICEC’s members are asked to review the statements. All current members are eligible to vote and will receive the voting link via the November newsletter and follow-up email. If you are a current member and did not receive the newsletter or … Read more ExCom Candidate Statements 2021
Have you or someone you know done something great for conservation or environmental education (CE / EE) in Iowa? Nominate them (or yourself) for an IAN-ICEC Award for Excellence in Environmental Education! These awards are a great way to recognize the wonderful things happening in CE / EE in Iowa. Learn more and download the … Read more IAN-ICEC Award nominations open
What is an ecosystem? Ecosystems are the complex interaction of all the living and nonliving aspects of a particular area. The plants, animals, micro-organisms, water, nutrients, energy and air are all interdependent aspects of the ecosystem and form a balance that sustains itself. An ecosystem can be large, such as a mountain valley, an area … Read more Ecosystem Architects
The call for nominations for ICEC ExCom is now open! ICEC is looking for individuals interested in joining the leadership of ICEC. ExCom is a volunteer board of directors working together with members and partners to provide opportunities for Iowa’s conservation and environmental educators to learn, build relationships, and creatively collaborate. Nominees must be members … Read more Nominations open for ICEC Executive Committee
September 13-19, 2020 is Iowa Prairie Heritage Week! Iowa’s landscape was once covered by vast rolling hills of prairie. An estimated 85% of the land was prairie grass and flowers when European settlers first arrived. Since that time the Iowa landscape has changed drastically and today only 1/10 of 1% of our native prairie remains. … Read more Celebrate Iowa’s Prairie Heritage
ICEC is the host organization for the 2021 Midwest Environmental Education Conference. The conference will be based at Luther College in Decorah on July 26-29, 2021. Please add the dates to your calendar, bookmark the conference website, and start making plans to attend! Check back often for updates. Exploring Community: Land, People, Water is our … Read more 2021 MEEC Call for Presentations
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is now accepting submissions for the 2020 NACD and NACD Auxiliary Poster and Photo Contest. The annual poster contest is open to students K-12 and celebrates the 2020 Stewardship theme “Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators?” The photo contest is open to all amateur photographers who … Read more Poster and Photo Contest Alert
“Many of the events of the annual cycle recur year after year in a regular order. A year-to-year record of this order is a record of the rates at which solar energy flows to and through living things. They are the arteries of the land. By tracing their response to the sun, phenology may eventually … Read more Classroom Phenology Notebook
Dear ICEC members and friends, The recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black men and women have once again laid bare the underlying currents of racism and inequity in our communities. Systemic racism is, by its nature, pervasive. Christian Cooper’s experience while birdwatching in New York City is yet … Read more ExCom commits to learning, working for change to do better