Donor support directly enables us to take action in pursuit of our mission to support and advocate on behalf of North Carolina's community of environmental educators. Thank you. Donor Recognition Tiers A message of welcome and appreciation for our donors: The EENC team owes every aspect of our success to the support of our donors: financial contributions directly drive our ability to offer professional learning opportunities, advocate for environmental education across North Carolina, host our annual conferences, and implement innovative projects with key partners to strengthen environmental education capacity nationwide. All donors receive email and written thank you cards, get added to our quarterly donor newsletter, and are listed (small print below $500) in our Annual Report. At the below giving levels, donors are also eligible for all listed recognition opportunities. Think of it as a thank-you gift: from us, to you. We’re better together. $1-99: Scuppernongs Digital Badge for LinkedIn “I Gave to EENC” $100-249: Scotch Bonnets All Donors recognition (see above) Name listed on website Gratitude post on Facebook $250-499: Eastern Tiger Swallowtails All Donors recognition (see above) Name listed on website Name listed (not small) in Annual Report Access to the Vulture Program presented by President $500-999: Pine Barrens Tree Frogs Included in donor newsletter & Annual Report Name listed on website Name listed in Annual Report Recognition during fundraising events $1000-$2499: Brook Trout All Donors recognition (see above) Listed on website Listed in Annual Report Printed annual report sent to your home Social Media Interview/Highlight $2500-$4999: Marbled Salamanders All Donors recognition (see above) Listed on website Listed in Annual Report Printed annual report sent to your home Personal letter of gratitude from Leadership Special tour with an organization leader $5000-$9999: Flowering Dogwoods All doors recognition (see above) Listed on website Listed in Annual Report Printed annual report sent to your home Personal letter of gratitude from Leadership Spotlight article on EENC website Commemorative Thank You Item The Emerald Society $10,000-24,999: Eastern Box Turtles $25,000-49,999: Carolina Lillies $50,000+: Northern Cardinals All Emerald Society donors receive the following: All Donors recognition (see above) Listed on website Listed in Annual Report Recognition during fundraising events Printed annual report sent to your home Personal letter of gratitude from Leadership Spotlight article on EENC website Custom newsletter Induction during ceremony at annual fundraising event or Conference Additional naming and legacy opportunities available for Northern Cardinal donors For questions about these giving levels and recognition offerings, contact Operations & Development Lead David Rizor at operations@eenc.org. Thank you for supporting EENC! Thanks to our community of 2024 donors! We rely on direct contributions from our members and supporters to bring our mission to life. Find the full list of 2024 donors in our 2024 Annual Report . Want to see your name on this list next year? Make a donation today. Support The 2024 Let's Grow Together Campaign! Through the Let’s Grow Together Campaign, we’re working to raise funds and draw attention to five amazing EE organizations across the state. EENC Staff Team Better Together: Successes from the 2023 Annual Giving Campaign EENC’s 2023 Annual Giving Campaign, Better Together, is one for the history books! Together, our community raised over $30,000 over the... EENC Staff Team Announcing EENC’s New Donor Recognition Tiers The EENC team owes every aspect of our success to the support of our donors: financial contributions directly drive our ability to offer... EENC Staff Team

Attend an event, take a course, join a workshop, or all three! View our full calendar of upcoming events here. EENC Members receive exclusive discounts to our events. Upcoming Events and Learning Opportunities EENC Book Club Jan 01, 2026, 8:00 AM – Jun 18, 2026, 8:00 PM Online Course Join EENC's semi-annual book club for monthly connection and conversation around some great eco-forward titles. Details Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Environmental Education – Online Course Jun 01, 2026, 9:00 AM – Jul 24, 2026, 6:00 PM Online Course This course is designed to provide a strong foundation in the language, concepts and principles of equity work for environmental educators and environmental professionals. Details Membership Offer Inquiry Based Outdoor Learning: Using BEETLES in NC Workshop Jun 20, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Piedmont Environmental Center, 1220 Penny Rd, High Point, NC 27265 The BEETLES learning sessions are active experiences crafted to encourage instructors to look at specific aspects of research-based science pedagogy and to inspire shifts in instructors’ thinking about their own teaching and learning. Buy Tickets EENC Book Club, July - December 2026 Jul 01, 2026, 9:00 AM – Dec 17, 2026, 7:00 PM Online Course Join EENC's semi-annual book club for monthly connection and conversation around some great eco-forward titles. RSVP Membership Offer Embracing Evaluation in Environmental Education Jul 27, 2026, 7:00 AM – Sep 11, 2026, 5:00 PM Online Course By giving more environmental educators the tools to carry out meaningful evaluations, we can improve our efforts to build a healthier and more equitable future. Buy Tickets Membership Offer EE and the NC Science Standards Jul 27, 2026, 9:00 AM – Aug 24, 2026, 5:00 PM Online Course This course is designed to help formal and non-formal educators understand North Carolina state science standards and how environmental education can apply to those standards when planning lessons and curricula for school-age audiences. Buy Tickets 2026 Pre-Conference Workshop: Two Trees, One Seed! Sep 10, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM Walnut Creek Wetland Center, 950 Peterson St, Raleigh, NC 27610, USA This workshop will be a unique exploration of Project Learning Tree and NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence focusing on Early Childhood. RSVP Membership Offer 2026 Pre-Conference: Red Wolf Conservation with the Museum of Life and Science Sep 10, 2026, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Museum of Life and Science, 433 W Murray Ave, Durham, NC 27704, USA This field trip will provide a hands on learning experience to better understand the conservation efforts that go into protecting North Carolina's Red Wolf population. Buy Tickets Membership Offer 2026 Pre-Conference: Emerald Pathways, Through a Troll's Eyes Sep 10, 2026, 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM Dix Park, 1030 Richardson Dr, Raleigh, NC 27603, USA This field trip visits the Dambo Troll residents of Dix Park and honors their mission of environmental conservation through Community Science Projects. Buy Tickets Membership Offer EENC 2026 Annual Conference Sep 11, 2026, 8:30 AM – Sep 12, 2026, 5:00 PM McKimmon Center, McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman St, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA The 2026 conference will be September 11-12 at McKimmon Center in Raleigh, with pre-conference programs taking place on the 10th. Buy Tickets

EENC hosts an annual conference to gather environmental educators from across the state for networking and professional learning. Join us in September for our next conference! 2023 Conference Sponsors Duke Nicholas School of the Environment Keynote Speaker: Mallory McDuff Mallory McDuff has seen the importance of incorporating local communities in conservation through the eyes of a small-town journalist, a Peace Corps volunteer, and an environmental educator with the World Wildlife Fund. McDuff is currently a Professor of Outdoor Leadership, and Environmental Studies Director of Environmental Education at Warren Wilson College. At Warren Wilson, McDuff collaborates with diverse community partners to learn together. As a well known author, McDuff shares her most recent book, Love Your Mother, bringing awareness to the conversations around the climate crisis. McDuff's words will light EENC's Community to engage in collective action toward a more sustainable future. Theme and Focus Areas The 2023 conference theme is Unplug and rEEconnect. During the conference, we will delve deeper into what EE looks like in our state, the exciting and surprising places where EE is happening, and take time get outside and reconnect with the natural world. rEEconnect to Place: EE can be facilitated and experienced anywhere! These presentations will focus on how to apply EE in various communities and situations. These presentations will help unlock EE's audience by sharing ways to make EE more inclusive by addressing community and situational barriers. rEEconnect to Our Why (Work): EE is the thread that connects us all! These presentations will focus not on the 'what' or 'how' we implement EE, but the 'why.' The presentations will demonstrate the importance of collaboration with each other and other organizations toward a common purpose. The presentations will 'zoom out' to celebrate the bigger picture of EE's impact. rEEconnect to Social Change: The natural world is always changing, and EE is too! These presentations will focus on big new ideas, hot topics, and ways of doing that address social change. Theory to Practice: These presentations will focus on celebrating research you and/or your organization is doing in the field and the practical application of the research. Hands On and Minds On: These presentations can be field skills, activity demonstrations, walking workshops, etc. that demonstrate the 'what' we do in EE, or the 'how' we do it! These presentations are intended to be interactive. Schedule and Workshops

See the schedule and description of EENC's 2022 conference, held in Raleigh. 2022 Conference Join us for the 31st Annual Environmental Educators of North Carolina conference at NC State’s McKimmon Conference & Training Center in Raleigh, NC! This year’s conference will be held September 9 to Saturday September 10, 2022. Plan ahead now for pre-conference workshops, field trips, and more on Thursday, September 8. We are excited to announce that the 2022 conference theme is rEEdefine: redefining how we connect, reflect and identify in the field of Environmental Education. During the conference, we will delve deeper into what EE looks like in our state, the exciting and surprising places where EE is happening, and why EE should be designed for and accessible to everyone. If you have any questions about the conference, please contact Michelle Pearce at programs @eenc.org . Keynote Speaker: Dr. Rasul Mowatt Our Keynote speaker will be NC State’s very own Dr. Rasul Mowatt, Department Head of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. Dr. Mowatt’s research centers on the production and restructuring of urban space, primarily within cities, and how that impacts what we understand to be the function of race, gender and class in a society. Most recently his teaching and research culminated in his book titled "The Geographies of Threat and the Production of Violence: The State and the City Between Us,” published by Routledge press in 2021. In his free time, Dr. Mowatt is a DJ. Schedule

EENC hosts an annual conference to gather environmental educators from across the state for networking and professional learning. Join us in September for our next conference! 2024 EENC Confernece #EENC2024: Imagining SustainablE FuturEs EENC's 2024 conference took place September 13th and 14th at Catawba College in Salisbury, with a pre-conference workshop and field trips taking place on the 12th. We thank the Catawba College Center for the Environment for their generous in-kind facility donation for our conference sessions and gatherings! Attention Exhibitors! Would you like to showcase your organization or program? You can set up a table during the conference to share information about what you do. Organizational Members with a Platinum, Titanium, or Diamond level membership get to the table for free! Lodging : We’re happy to be working with Dan Nicholas Park to provide camping options, and Holiday Inn Express Salisbury for hotel accommodations. 2024 Conference Schedule View Now 2024 Conference Sponsors Presenting Catawba College Center for the Environment Advocate Acorn Naturalist 2nd Nature TREC Supporter Murphy's Naturals Interested in sponsoring the EENC conference? Explore our Sponsor Packet . 2024 Conference Theme: The 2024 conference theme is Imagining SustainablE FuturEs . During the conference, we will examine present-day issues to explore the future of environmental education in North Carolina. Through capacity building, engagement, and practical innovation we will dream big about what environmental education can look like and build skills for how we get there. 2024 Conference Session Strands: The Future of Community Engagement: Environmental education (EE) can take place anywhere and involve anyone. This track will explore how EE can empower students through formal education, enable youth to be active contributors, and engage community members who are not typically represented in EE. Sessions will focus on the diverse ways EE can engage different audiences, such as visitor engagement, youth empowerment, higher education, adult education, and partnership projects. The Future of Capacity Building: EE relies on the people and organizations that do the hard work. This track will delve into effective techniques for building capacity in organizations to promote growth, innovation, and sustainability. Examples include evaluation, strategic planning, facility management, and equitable pay and hiring practices. The Future of Environmental Literacy: These sessions will examine what it means to be environmentally literate in 2024. How can we support environmental literacy in classrooms and beyond, and how might it be influenced by current issues? Topics include climate education, formal education, and systems thinking. Research to Action: These presentations will highlight the research conducted by you and/or your organization in the field, as well as its practical applications. For instance, you might present the findings of a study on intergenerational learning and then discuss strategies for engaging audiences in such learning experiences. Hands-On, Minds-On: These presentations will showcase practical activities, field skills, demonstrations, and walking workshops that exemplify the essence of EE. They are designed to be interactive and demonstrate both the 'what' and 'how' of EE. Examples include activity demonstrations, activity guides, and identification skills workshops. About The Location: Just an hour from both the Triad and Charlotte Metro areas, Catawba College is situated conveniently in the heart of EENC's Piedmont Section. Our gracious hosts at the Catawba College Center for the Environment are opening their campus to our community: we can't wait for you to enjoy their AASHE STARS Silver rated, carbon-neutral facility, as well as the neighboring college-owned Fred Stanback Jr. Ecological Preserve. "Since its founding in 1996, the Center has led a living-learning laboratory for campus sustainability that provides hands-on environmental learning opportunities for Catawba’s students while helping them learn how to advocate for and lead positive environmental change. The Center also serves as a research, convening and policy development hub for issues ranging from regional air and water quality to state and national environmental and energy policies. The Center is housed in a stunning structure that emerges from a sloping stand of hardwood trees at the edge of the College's 189-acre ecological preserve. Every aspect of the building embodies leading sustainability principles, which creates one of the most sought-after spaces for environmental gatherings in North Carolina." Additional conference information will be published here as it becomes available. Check back frequently for the latest details! Estimated Release Dates: Request for Session Proposals – April Keynote Speaker Announcement – April Award Nominations – May Sponsorship Opportunities – May Pre-Conference Workshops and Field Trips – May Schedule – July Early Bird Registration – July General Registration – August Other Previous Conferences 2023 2022 2021 Recognizing Excellence in Environmental Education On Saturday, September 20, 2025, the Environmental Educators of North Carolina held their annual awards ceremony during their conference at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in Asheville, North Carolina. will.freund13 Silent Auction + Scholarships= Mutualism! EENC's Annual Conference has always had the goal of bringing together educators for idea sharing, networking, and an overall good time.... EENC Staff Team Recap & Gallery: 2023 EENC Conference Early this month, EENC friends and members gathered at Rockfish Camp and Retreat Center in Parkton for our 32nd annual conference, guided... EENC Staff Team

Thank you for your interest in joining EENC's Staff team! Join Our Team The application window for the Operations and Development Lead position is now closed. Applications are currently under review; all applicants will be contacted the week of April 22nd. Interviews will be held between April 22nd and May 1st. Interview scheduling options include weekday business hours, evenings, and weekends. We will ask for references after interviews have been conducted. We anticipate a target start date of June 1, 2024. EENC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate of race, color, religious creed, gender, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, or disability. Environmental Educators of North Carolina Operations and Development Lead The Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC) is a dynamic community of environmental educators dedicated to fostering connections, providing professional development, and promoting excellence in environmental education. Established in 1990, EENC has grown into a broad network of passionate individuals and organizations collaborating to achieve its core mission. We provide the forum to bring people together, leverage resources, and unite our voices across the state. Role Overview: As Operations & Development Lead, you will be pivotal in shaping our organization's operational efficiency and financial sustainability while driving strategic development initiatives. This position encompasses a range of responsibilities, including business management, fundraising, and collaborative leadership. You will work closely with the other two staff members, the Programming Lead and the Communications & Relationships Lead. This position is full-time (average of 35 hours per week), remote within North Carolina, with some travel required. Most travel is within the state. Shared Leadership: EENC practices shared leadership, a non-hierarchical approach to organizational structuring that prioritizes collaborative accountability and decision-making responsibilities to define and achieve strategic goals. All staff are formally employed by the board, and important decisions are made among staff, between staff and board members or committees, and at the board level as defined in our decision-making model. All staff members report to one another regularly on progress and challenges. Staff serve as liaisons to board committees and routinely communicate with board leaders to plan and implement projects. Our shared leadership model empowers both individual and collective decision-making; therefore, all team members must be able to self-motivate and take ownership of their individual tasks while contributing effectively to shared goals and initiatives. Ongoing, transparent, frequent communication among team members is integral to this model. For more about this model, review our Shared Leadership Statement . Key Responsibilities: Business Operations (50%): Oversee routine operations including budgeting, finance, payroll, benefits, HR, organizational policies, etc. Develop and implement strategic plans to optimize business operations and align them with organizational goals. Guide long-term business and financial planning. Ensure legal and regulatory compliance for the organization in collaboration with the Board of Directors leadership, including taxes, solicitation license, and non-profit policy compliance Fundraising and Development (50%): Align development strategies with the overall goals and mission of EENC. Design and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies with diverse revenue streams with an emphasis on grant writing and donor cultivation. Lead the development and implementation of engaging fundraising campaigns and events, major gift campaigns, and sponsorships. Fundraising events and campaigns are coordinated in collaboration with staff and Board committees. Assess financial data, measure performance, and guide data-driven decisions related to organization’s $225,000 annual budget. Regularly report on key performance indicators related to business operations, development efforts, and risk management. Serve as staff liaison to the Board of Directors for the following committees, which collaborate with staff to meet organizational goals: Finance Development Governance Other duties as needed. Who We’re Looking For: We are seeking a strategic thinker who can keep things running smoothly while helping guide long-term plans for EENC’s fiscal sustainability. The Operations & Development Lead should be experienced and comfortable managing budgets, cultivating revenue streams, and successfully executing dynamic projects. The ideal candidate for this new position will be excited to practice shared leadership in EENC’s staff team and eager to foster an expanding community of funders and supporters for our mission. Desired Skills and Experience Proven ability to work effectively with diverse teams, stakeholders, and partners to achieve common goals through leaderful collaboration Ability to manage multiple projects independently and as part of a team Experience with business operations, bookkeeping, or organizational financial management Ability to plan, organize, and think creatively at the systems level Experience developing and leading successful fundraising initiatives Experience writing, managing, and reporting on grants Exceptional writing, networking, and interpersonal skills Background in nonprofit or business leadership, especially collaborating with a non-profit Board of Directors and committees Tech Savvy: Proficient with or able to quickly learn the use of Google Suite, Microsoft Office Suite, Quickbooks Online, and other digital tools including video conferencing, project management, fundraising, and donor management platforms Ability to adapt to changing priorities and environments, with a flexible and proactive approach to challenges. Familiarity with environmental education and an understanding of the field in the state, nationally, and internationally Requirements Diversity Commitment: Demonstrated commitment to fostering justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within the organization and in external relationships. Residency: North Carolina residency or a commitment to move within 30 days of hire. Driver’s License: A North Carolina driver’s license or the ability to acquire one within 90 days of hire. Travel: Infrequent independent travel in North Carolina for events. Schedule: Work will average 35 hours per week with a flexible schedule. Occasional evening and weekend work is necessary to accommodate special events. Work location: Employee must provide their own work location with reliable internet. We believe that environmental literacy and mutual respect are inherently linked with environmental and social justice, that environmental education and resources should be accessible to all communities, that biodiversity is critical to the success of natural spaces and the diversity of humanity is what makes us stronger, and that we are never done learning and growing as an organization and as individuals. We strongly encourage applications from People of Color, LGBTQ+ people, and those who are members of other marginalized communities. This job description is a general overview, not a mandatory or comprehensive list. We encourage you to apply if you have 75% of the skills and experience listed. Your experience includes paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer and non-traditional work and learning. If you feel passionate about our efforts and believe you have the skills to accomplish the job, we want to hear from you! Salary and Benefits: This full-time exempt salaried position will have a starting annual salary of $40,150 plus a 10% benefit stipend. Additional tangible benefits: Communications stipend for phone/internet ($80 per month) 2% employer-provided retirement contribution (no employee match required) EENC-provided computer, printer, and office supplies Paid professional development 32 days of paid personal leave for vacations, holidays, and other days of your choosing, plus 5 sick days per year Additional intangible benefits: Flexible scheduling Work from home Opportunity to work at a systemic level to support environmental educators and advance environmental education across the state Networking with environmental educators across the state How To Apply: Apply online by submitting our application form (embedded below, also available in-browser ). Resumes and cover letters will NOT be accepted via email. If you have questions, please contact Board Past President Amy Juliana at amy@eenc.org . To apply, you will need to submit: Resume Cover letter that addresses the following (maximum 2 pages): This position requires significant interaction with multiple internal and external stakeholder groups (grantors, staff, Board of Directors, others). Describe your experience interacting with multiple stakeholder groups. Describe a time you managed or developed an organizational or business budget. How did you plan for, track, and evaluate success? Hiring Timeline: Applications accepted through April 12, 2024. Application review period April 14 - April 19, 2024. All applicants will be contacted the following week. We anticipate conducting interviews April 22 - May 1. Interview scheduling options include weekday business hours, evenings, and weekends. We will ask for references after interviews have been conducted. We anticipate a target start date of June 1, 2024. EENC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate of race, color, religious creed, gender, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, or disability.

Donor support directly enables us to take action in pursuit of our mission to support and advocate on behalf of North Carolina's community of environmental educators. Thank you. Donate Make a Donation Invest in environmental education by making a n online donation directly to EENC by completing the form on the left. We also accept donations via check at the below address: Environmental Educators of North C arolina 150 Highlands Sq Dr #1034, Hendersonville, NC 28792 To coordinate ACH or wire-transfer gifts, contact operations@eenc.org . Learn about our Donor Recognition Tiers here. Explore our Sponsorship opportunities here. Learn more about our Legacy Giving program here. Get to know our community of 2023 Donors here. Everyone benefits from environmental education. Your donation helps EENC provide low-cost and free training for educators, collaborate with partners to advance our field, and work to make environmental education more equitable and inclusive. EENC wants to change the world by: Providing professional development and networking for educators Diversifying the field of environmental education Bringing together like-minded organizations to increase capacity Promoting excellence in environmental education As a learner, teacher, parent, or community member, you can play a critical role in helping people access the intellectual, personal, and social benefits of environmental education. As a society, we are facing huge environmental, social, and economic issues. The author Richard Louv spoke at our conference in 2016 and summed it up with a JAWS reference: We’re gonna need a bigger boat. Will you be a part of EENC’s bigger boat? Your gift of any size brings us another step closer to achieving our vision of an environmentally literate community.

Explore EENC's core workshop and course offerings, including those eligible for NC EE Certification credit hours. Learning Opportunities Core Offerings For Programming information, contact Michelle Pearce at programs@eenc.org Look for eeCOURSES in our offerings! eeCOURSES are top-quality, competency-based courses on specific topics across the breadth of environmental education. eeCOURSES are developed by NAAEE Affiliates and endorsed by NAAEE. Guidelines for Excellence JEDI in EE Accessible by Nature Inquiry-Based Outdoor Learning EE and the NC Science Standards Embracing Evaluation in EE Guidelines for Excellence The Guidelines for Excellence is a series of materials that helps environmental educators hone their practice and programs to national standards for high-quality environmental education programming. Developed by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), the Guidelines document the collective wisdom of hundreds of educators across our nation; these guides are updated periodically to reflect new research, changing best practices, and an increasing attention to equity and inclusion. Workshops focus on one or more of the Guidelines publications: K-12 Environmental Education Professional Development of Environmental Educators Environmental Education Materials Nonformal Environmental Education Programs Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs Community Engagement For those pursuing EE Certification in North Carolina managed by our partners at the NC Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, these workshops qualify for Criteria I/continuing education credit. You make take multiple Guidelines workshops for credit, so long as each workshop focuses on a different Guidelines publication. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Environmental Education This online course is designed to provide a strong foundation in the language, concepts and principles of equity work for environmental educators and environmental professionals. It is meant to be an introductory course and spark interest in further learning around justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI). The main topics for the course include: Foundations of communication for sensitive topics, including group agreements and nonviolent communication. Developing a common language for discussing JEDI topics Understanding historical intersections of the environmental movement with social justice topics, how those historical events might still be causing impacts today. Understanding bias, stereotypes, and oppression Reflecting on power and privilege that different identities afford, how that power and privilege manifests as microaggressions and how to use the power and privilege you had to develop a personal action plan. This course was developed through a partnership between Center for Diversity and the Environment , EcoInclusive , Justice Outside , Environmental Educators of North Carolina, Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education, and Kentucky Association for Environmental Education. Each cohort will have 8 weeks to complete the 10-15 hour asynchronous course. Cohorts will begin quarterly . Course qualifies for Criteria I/continuing education credit for the NC Environmental Educator Certificate . Accessible by Nature: Designing EE to Support All Learners This course uses the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to guide the design of learning environments that are accessible and challenging for all, rather than making modifications for individual students’ needs. This course will encourage you to reflect deeply on your practice to focus on how you plan and teach, not just the content you teach. Whether you’re a classroom teacher or outdoor nonformal educator, are an experienced professional or just getting started in the field, and are new to inclusion or have been leading inclusive programming for years, we hope this course will inspire you to strengthen your pedagogical practices so they are more welcoming, inclusive and accessible for all learners. Focus areas include: Understanding the principles of Universal Design for Learning Describing terms, techniques, tools, and resources to promote inclusivity and access to better serve diverse populations, specifically those with learning differences, physical accessibility needs, and language barriers Evaluating your current teaching practices/pedagogy and your setting to identify barriers to participation Applying the principles of universal design for learning to your pedagogical practices to redesign a lesson, activity, or program This course content was designed by Michelle Silvers of Silver’s Lining PLLC, Estrella Risinger with the Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education , Michelle Pearce and Lauren Pyle with the Environmental Educators of North Carolina, with contributions from Rebekah Jones and the Cooper Center for Environmental Learning . This is an endorsed eeCOURSE with NAAEE . Inquiry-Based Outdoor Learning: USING BEETLES IN NC The BEETLES (Better Environmental Education, Teaching, Learning, and Expertise Sharing) learning sessions are active experiences crafted to encourage instructors to look at specific aspects of research-based science pedagogy and to inspire shifts in instructors’ thinking about their own teaching and learning. Developed by the Lawrence Hall of Science, these hands-on and interactive sessions promote a student-centered approach to help participants better engage with science and the natural world through inquiry. Learn more about BEETLES at http://beetlesproject.org/ Inquiry-Based Outdoor Learning workshops fully explore 2-4 of the eleven Professional Learning Sessions in their entirety during the 6-10 hours of the workshop: Adaptation & Evolution Assessing for Learning Constructing Understanding Evidence & Explanations Field Journaling with Students Making Observations Matter & Energy in Ecosystems Nature and Practices of Science Promoting Discussion Questioning Strategies Teaching & Learning For those pursuing EE Certification in North Carolina managed by our partners at the NC Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, these workshops qualify for Criteria I/continuing education credit. You make take multiple Inquiry-Based Outdoor Learning workshops for credit, so long as each workshop focuses on different BEETLES. Environmental Education and the NC Science Standards Environmental Education and the NC Science Standards is a 4 week course designed to help practitioners review NC Essential Standards and popular EE curriculum to better understand how they can support eachother. This workshop is for educators (formal, nonformal, and higher education) who want to: Explain the purpose of academic standards and their role in our educational system Describe the components of the academic standards. Use the science standards to illustrate the interdisciplinary nature of environmental education. Demonstrate how these academic standards correlate with environmental education curricula. Format: This course will be a completely online course that uses Moodle and shared documents platforms like Padlet and Google Docs. For those pursuing EE Certification in North Carolina managed by our partners at the NC Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, this course qualifies for Criteria III/continuing education credit. Embracing Evaluation in Environmental Education What is this course about? A primary goal of this 5 week course is to give participants the skills to develop an evaluation plan that goes beyond the satisfaction survey many providers use. The best evaluation plan is intentionally connected to program goals and created and implemented in collaboration with the program audience. By giving more environmental educators the tools to carry out meaningful evaluations, we can improve our efforts to build a healthier and more equitable future. Who is this course for? This course is intended for anyone working in or adjacent to environmental education. The course will cover evaluation basics and is intended for practitioners with no evaluation experience as well as those with many years of experience. If you are someone with evaluation experience, the course content may help you think of evaluation differently and give you new ideas. For those pursuing EE Certification in North Carolina managed by our partners at the NC Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, this course qualifies for Criteria III/continuing education credit. Two live Zoom calls are required, otherwise the course is asynchronous. Upcoming Courses & Workshops Thu, Jan 01 EENC Book Club / Online Course Details Jan 01, 2026, 8:00 AM – Jun 18, 2026, 8:00 PM Online Course Join EENC's semi-annual book club for monthly connection and conversation around some great eco-forward titles. Mon, Jun 01 Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Environmental Education – Online Course / Online Course Details Jun 01, 2026, 9:00 AM – Jul 24, 2026, 6:00 PM Online Course This course is designed to provide a strong foundation in the language, concepts and principles of equity work for environmental educators and environmental professionals. Membership Offer Sat, Jun 20 Inquiry Based Outdoor Learning: Using BEETLES in NC Workshop / Piedmont Environmental Center Buy Tickets Jun 20, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Piedmont Environmental Center, 1220 Penny Rd, High Point, NC 27265 The BEETLES learning sessions are active experiences crafted to encourage instructors to look at specific aspects of research-based science pedagogy and to inspire shifts in instructors’ thinking about their own teaching and learning. Wed, Jul 01 EENC Book Club, July - December 2026 / Online Course RSVP Jul 01, 2026, 9:00 AM – Dec 17, 2026, 7:00 PM Online Course Join EENC's semi-annual book club for monthly connection and conversation around some great eco-forward titles. Membership Offer Mon, Jul 27 Embracing Evaluation in Environmental Education / Online Course Buy Tickets Jul 27, 2026, 7:00 AM – Sep 11, 2026, 5:00 PM Online Course By giving more environmental educators the tools to carry out meaningful evaluations, we can improve our efforts to build a healthier and more equitable future. Load More About our Events SECTION EVENTS Throughout the year, EENC offers regional section events across the state. These events vary greatly in length, topic, and format - but their goal is the same: to bring local environmental educators together! Some events might be more recreational in nature, like k ayaking or a group hike. Others may be more social, like brewery/film screening meet-up or cookouts. Still others may be more content-driven, like a guided wildflower walk or teaching strategies seminar. We've also hosted book-clubs, behind-the-scenes tours, and family-friendly gatherings. WEBI NARS North Carolina is a large state. EENC provides virtual opportunities so that educators from Murphy to Manteo to gather together, to learn with and from one another. EENC currently hosts monthly webinars on the th ird Thursday of the month. We invite presenters to share their expertise and experience about hot topics impacting our EE community. If you are interested in presenting a webinar, contact the Program Coordinator. All webinars are free for participants. Recordings are sent to all participants afterward. COMMUNIT Y CALLS Community calls are a great chance to share what you're thinkin g, listen to what others are planning, ask questions of one another, and feel a sense of community. These drop-in interactive calls provide virtual opportunities to engage with your peers throughout the year. Some calls have specific themes for target audiences, while others are more general. We don't have the answers, but we're hoping that together, we can create solutions! EVENTS FROM OUR PARTNERS EENC is an Affiliate co-host of the NAAEE Monthly Webinar Series , an Outdoor Learning Store workshop partner, and a Green Teacher Webinar partner. You can find many of EENC's signature and partnered events listed on Facebook . Looking for additional professional development? There are a wide variety of environmental education organizations that offer professional development for North Carolina's EE community. PROGRAM EVALUATION DASHBOARD https://eenc-visualization.streamlit.app/~/+/#welcome-to-the-eenc-dashboard

Celebrate Excellence in EE Nominate Someone Today! EENC is proud to offer an annual awards program that recognizes our community members for their innovation, dedication, and excellence in environmental education. EENC Annual Awards Environmental Educator of the Year The Environmental Educator of the Year award recognizes an educator who stands out as a professional who exemplifies excellence in EE and lends credibility to the field. Outstanding Partner The Outstanding Partner award recognizes a business, non-profit, or governmental agency that has partnered with EENC to support our mission and growth. Exceptional EE Program The Exceptional EE Program award recognizes a program, organization, or center that brings environmental education to the public in great, new, and/or exceptional ways. Melva Fager Okun Life Achievement The Life Achievement award recognizes an EENC member for a career of dedication to EENC and environmental education. Outstanding Service The Outstanding Service award is for a member who has served in several key leadership roles making a significant contribution to further the mission of EENC. Outstanding Newcomer The Outstanding Newcomer award recognizes an EENC member of five years or less who has made significant contributions to EENC during their short time as a member. Outstanding Practitioner The Outstanding Practitioner award recognizes a member who has made significant contributions to EENC through statewide participation, leadership in their region, and being an advocate for high-quality education through how they teach, live, and do. Join the Celebration at the Annual Conference Conference Info 2025 Nominations Are Open Now We want to celebrate your EE Hero! Nominations are open through August 3 .

Explore the collaborative white paper detailing best practices for pay and hiring in the environmental education sector, developed by EENC and our partners at SEEA. Equitable Pay and Hiring in Environmental Education Environmental education, like many other sectors, endeavors to answer the calls to examine its history of institutional racism and discrimination, adopt more inclusive hiring practices and address inequities in compensation and benefits packages to make our field more equitable, welcoming and sustainable. Usin g the SEEA findings, we make the case for a reimagining of more equitable hiring and pay practices in the white paper "eeGuidance for Equitable Pay and Hiring in Environmental Education" . EENC is proud to be among the writers, and endorsing partners, of this report. In 2021 the Southeast Environmental Education Alliance (SEEA) conducted a landscape analysis to understand the current state, ongoing needs, and growth areas for the regional environmental education field. This data confirms that entry-level pay in environmental education is 15-25% lower than in comparable fields such as forestry, tourism, and formal education. The eeGuidance provides recommendations and highlights some best practices for environmental and outdoor education organizations. There are several key areas that employers must change to make environmental education careers more accessible to a broader population, including pay and benefits, position design, recruitment, processes and practices. This document provides researched explanations of why these areas matter and outlines specific minimum standards for employers to enact immediately. We also identify the target standards that we all must work toward to transform employment in our field. Citations and resources are embedded throughout this document and collated at the end for further learning. Once applied, these standards and resources will help improve employee retention, attract more diverse talent, create a sustainable career path, and establish our field as a viable profession. Networks, coalitions, and job boards that approve and support this eeGuidance can be recognized as endorsing organizations here. View the Full Document Standards at a Glance Have a job that meets the eeGuidance's minimum standards? As an individual employer, help job seekers know that the position meets or exceeds the minimum standards outlined in this document by adding the following commitment statement at the bottom of job descriptions. “This position meets or exceeds the recommendations as outlined in the eeGuidance for Equitable Pay and Hiring . [Employer Name] is committed to advancing employee equity in the field of environmental education to better serve our staff, our organization, and our community.” Be sure to review the standards listed throughout this document and ensure your position meets 100% of the minimum standards before using this language. The Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance and other endorsing partners will not review every position that is posted as meeting these standards, so we must trust that employers who post positions with this statement in job descriptions have done so with careful consideration.

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