The Columbia Basin Trust is committing $1 million to two environmental education initiatives —the Know Your Watershed program and the Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network (CBEEN).
“These initiatives have proven successful, and we’re pleased we can commit additional funding to help them become more sustainable, plan into the future and grow,” Tim Hicks, the Trust’s Manager for Water and the Environment, said in a statement released on Tuesday, December 8. “Through these initiatives Basin students will continue to have hands on opportunities to increase their understanding of the natural environment, which Basin residents have told us is a priority.”
The Know Your Watershed program will be receiving $540,500 over three years. Developed in 2010 to help Grade 8 students understand where their water comes from, how it is used and where it goes after it is used. The program is delivered to schools by local educators working with Wildsight. Learn more at wildsight.ca/program/know-your-watershed.
“Wildsight is thrilled to continue working with the Trust to deliver Know Your Watershed,” said Monica Nissen, Wildsight’s education program manager. “We hear from teachers and students across the Columbia Basin how much they love the action-oriented, hands-on learning of the program. Because it incorporates knowledge from local community experts, not only does it make a big impact on students, but it also strengthens the community as a whole.”
The 13-year-old CBEEN will receive $500,000 over three years to support environmental education in the Basin by offering professional development for educators and providing them access to training, resources, opportunities and tools. It also delivers the Wild Voices for Kids program, which has local experts deliver curriculum-linked programs to schools across the Basin. Learn more at cbeen.org.
“There are so many educators from across our region who provide excellent learning opportunities for both classrooms and communities, and we look forward to continuing to work hard to support their efforts,” CBEEN Executive Direcotr Duncan Whittick said in the statement
The Trust identifies environmental education and stewardship as one of the five goals in its Environment Strategic Plan 2014–2019. To learn more about the education and awareness projects and programs it supports, visit cbt.org/enviroeducation.
The Columbia Basin Trust supports efforts to deliver social, economic and environmental benefits to the residents of the Columbia Basin. To learn more about the Trust’s programs and initiatives, visit cbt.org or call 1-800-505-8998.
