“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
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
Celebrate National Catfish Day (annually on June 25) by learning more about Iowa’s most abundant and widely distributed sport fish. Catfish are opportunistic bottom feeders that are active at night. They eat all types of living or dead animal and plant material and are most often attracted to odoriferous or “smelly” morsels of food. They … Read more
Wildlife is everywhere – even on your school grounds, in your yard, a ballfield, or city park! Wildlife scientists and urban biologists study wildlife to learn how they live and interact with the environment. These scientists may focus on one wildlife species or a group of species during their studies. They record observations made with … Read more
Greetings Friends of Conservation / Environmental Education, It sure is difficult to plan ahead these days, but the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition (ICEC) is gearing up for our turn to host the Midwest Environmental Education Conference (MEEC) in 2021! We are so excited to announce that MEEC will be held July 26-29, 2021 at Luther … Read more
April is National Poetry Month! Celebrate with a study of nature poetry! Start by reading nature poems. Depending on the age and level of students make a study of the mechanics of poetry and how to write different kinds of poetry. Check out the list of books tagged ‘environmental writers‘ in our book database to … Read more
At Winter Workshop 2020, incoming ExCom Chair Lilly Jensen presents outgoing ExCom Chair Mary Bulger the ‘Geode Award’ for her service. The Geode Award is made and donated by ICEC member Mike Krebill. Thanks for your dedication to ICEC and conservation education in Iowa.
Outdoor experiences in nature increase students’ problem solving abilities and motivation to learn in social studies, science, language arts, and math. Conducting field investigations help students become systems thinkers, learn the skills of scientific inquiry, and understand that science doesn’t only happen in a laboratory or classroom. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies developed … Read more
Are you or do you know a women that owns farmland? How much input do you / they have into the conservation and farming practices used on the land? Listen to one of our own, Jean Eells, from this report from PBS News Hour as she explains the work she does with women landowners! Well … Read more
Iowans, have you heard of the trust fund, Iowa’s water and land legacy, IWILL? Either way, this is an important year to track the Iowa legislature and keep up-to-date on the status of the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust. The 2020 Iowa legislative session began 13 January and Governor Kim Reynolds delivered her Condition … Read more
Congratulations to the winners of the 2019 IAN/ICEC Awards for Excellence in Environmental Education! These awards recognize the best of environmental education in Iowa. This year, we had an incredible group of nominees from across the state, representing outstanding programs and individual contributions in the field of EE. Congratulations to all who were recognized for … Read more
Why a school garden? School gardens provide hands-on learning in a wide variety of disciplines including science, math, language arts, and visual arts. Being involved in school gardens gets students active, engaged, and teaches them important life skills such as responsibility. School gardening of fruits and vegetables also positively influences students’ health and nutrition attitudes … Read more