CCEP-I: Building Place-Based Climate Change Education through the Lens of National Parks and Wildlife Refuges

Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO

Investigators

Abstract

This award to Colorado State University will establish a Phase I Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP) in collaboration with the National Parks Conservation Association, the National Park Service, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere. The overall goal of the CCEP Phase I project is to establish a coordinated national network of regionally- or thematically-based partnerships devoted to increasing the adoption of effective, high quality educational programs and resources related to the science of climate change and its impacts. Nearly 30% of the United States is designated as federally owned and managed public lands, and this project will take advantage of the natural settings provided by national parks and wildlife refuges to communicate the impacts of climate change. With over 300 million annual visitors, national parks and wildlife refuges offer unique opportunities for climate change education. While visiting one of America's protected areas, citizens witness the impact of disappearing glaciers, increased wildfires, sea level rise, land erosion, and others. This project will focus on how our national parks and wildlife refuges can function as sites for educating diverse members of the public about climate change impacts, adaptations and actions. The audience targeted by this project includes national park and wildlife refuge interpretive staff and visitors, including school teachers and students. The specific goals are to (1) identify partners in parks and refuges interested in integrating climate change research into place-based learning and interpretive programming; (2) develop a comprehensive, climate change strategy for effective teaching and learning, specifically focusing on educational resources and tools rooted in parks and refuges; (3) create a framework for sharing resources, and (4) develop specific educational programs for the targeted groups. The vision is to build collaborative capacity to inspire citizens and communities to take action through informal public education. By the end of this project, the PIs expect to have completed 1) an inventory of current scientific and educational resources, training opportunities, organizations, and practices, that identifies needs and opportunities related to climate change education; 2) identifying areas where additional learning science research is needed to further advance the effectiveness of climate change education; 3) several stakeholder workshops and other community-building activities that engage relevant stakeholders; 4) a comprehensive climate change education strategic plan integrating education and climate change information; and 5) identifying the most effective methods of engaging diverse audiences in climate change education. More information on this project is available by visiting http://warnercnr.colostate.edu/CCEP, or by contacting the PIs, Jessica Thompson (jes@warnercnr.colostate.edu) and Karen Hevel-Mingo (khevel-mingo@npca.org).