Mission

Cultivate understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the San Luis Valley's natural and cultural resources through services in conservation and environmental education.

What is ECEC?

For 12 years, the Environmental and Conservation Education Council (ECEC) has been a successful partnership of local, state, federal, and nonprofit environmental education providers, teachers, and students. Together, ECEC has coordinated environmental education (EE) programs in the six counties and 14 school districts of south-central Colorado's San Luis Valley (SLV).

Accomplishments

• Wheels to the Field - Since 1998, over $50,000 has been raised to cover field trip costs and make field-based environmental education programs more accessible to SLV teachers and students.
• Education Programs - ECEC members combine to serve over 9000 students and teachers annually with education programs. Though individual ECEC member organizations' mission priorities may differ, all education programs foster critical decision making and stewardship of local natural and cultural
  resources.
• Needs Assessments - ECEC conducted four teacher/student needs assessments in San Luis Valley schools to better serve SLV teachers and students with EE programing. We incorporated this feedback into our programs and services.
• Teacher Mini-Grants - ECEC received $7,000 from the W.M.B. Berger Foundation to provide mini-grants to SLV teachers to purchase equipment needed to provide quality education outdoors.
• Teacher Workshops - Since 1991, ECEC has provided seven graduate-level workshops for SLV teachers emphasizing hands-on/minds-on environmental learning outdoors.
• Education Workshops for Non-formal Educators - ECEC has offered multiple one-day workshops to teach agency, non-profits, and industry personnel how to provide effective education programs in the schools.
• Natural Resources Quarterly - ECEC publishes a quarterly newsletter distributed to all SLV teachers. The newsletter highlights education opportunities in the San Luis Valley, publishes student work, and
  shares curriculum ideas.

How You Can Help

• Help local schools teach their students outdoors by contributing to the ECEC Wheels to the Field (contact Jim Mietz of the SLV RC&D).
• Hone your teaching skills and help others by volunteering with a local environmental education provider.
• Join an ECEC committee to improve environmental education in the San Luis Valley.
• Go outside, take someone with you and learn from nature!
• Participate in ECEC workshops to improve your knowledge about the natural world and how to teach others.