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NWF Policy Bulletin on Connecting Children with Nature
Tuesday, March 31, 2009(National Wildlife Federation)
In This
Issue:
1. NEW
REPORT:
NWF Unveils
2. Obama’s Budget
Supports Environmental Education and
Connecting People to
Nature
3. Environmental
Education Funding Increases by 44% in FY
2009
4. Dear Colleague
Letters Build Support for Environmental
Education Funding in FY
2010
5. Great Outdoors Month Proclamations
6.
1. NEW
REPORT:
NWF Unveils
The National Wildlife Federation today released the comprehensive Children and the Outdoors State Policy Solutions Guide, written by Allen Cooper, Education Campaign Manager at NWF. This guide reviews leading state policy initiatives and provides policy makers and advocates with model solutions to the growing disconnect between children and the natural world.
The Children and the Outdoors State Policy Solutions Guide contains model resolutions, executive orders, and legislation that will aid efforts to reconnect children and families with nature. Solutions to the problems associated with an indoor generation must include providing youth with structured and unstructured opportunities for outdoor play, recreation, and learning. NWF’s campaign to develop an effective response to this problem will mobilize policy across multiple fields, including the areas of public health, education, parks and recreation, and city planning.
Read the
Report:
http://www.nwf.org/nwfwebadmin/binaryVault/State_Policy_Solutions_Guide_FINAL.pdf
Read the NWF Press
Release:
http://www.nwf.org/news/story.cfm?pageId=58C22879-5056-A868-A0B865A56F9896A1
2. Obama’s Budget
Supports Environmental Education and
Connecting People and
Nature
On February 26th President Obama unveiled an outline of his budget request for FY 2010, funding the federal government from 10/1/09 through 9/30/10. The request includes proposals for two significant programs that will help advance climate literacy and reconnect people to nature. The first program, under the National Science Foundation, will establish “a climate change education program to help develop the next generation of environmentally engaged scientists and engineers.” This program addresses the very real need to educate and engage younger generations so they will be better prepared to transition to our new clean energy economy. President Obama has been a supporter of climate change education at NSF since his time in the Senate where he introduced the Climate Change Education Act in the 110th Congress. A House companion bill was also introduced in the last Congress by Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA).
Second, the budget provides $50 million
of
increased funding for certain programs at the
Department of Interior that help
get Americans outside. It specifically promotes
providing funding to States to
help establish programs to encourage youth and
minorities to hunt and fish
responsibly. The budget states: “The President
is keenly aware of the important
role that hunters and anglers play in the
conservation of the Nation’s wildlife
and natural habitats. The administration seeks
to forge a broad coalition to
address great conservation challenges, and
Read President Obama’s
FY2010 Budget
Outline:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/fy2010_new_era/A_New_Era_of_Responsibility2.pdf
3. Environmental
Education Funding Increases by 44
Percent in FY
2009
On Wednesday, March 11th, President Obama signed the FY 2009 omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 1105) which included record funding levels for environmental education and climate change education for the current fiscal year (10/1/08 through 9/30/09). EPA’s Office of Environmental Education was funded at $9 million, the same level as FY 2008, while NOAA’s Office of Education received about a 20 percent increase in funding, with key programs coming in at about $20 million in FY 2009. Climate change education received an 18 percent boost at NASA, now funded at $10 million, while first time funding for climate change education was established at the National Science Foundation at $10 million.
Ultimately, federal support for environmental education and climate change education increased by 44 percent in FY2009, a testament to the importance of environmental literacy, connecting children with nature, and preparing Americans of all ages to combat climate change and support a new clean energy future.
Read the Full FY 2009
Omnibus Appropriations Bill (please
allow time to load, it is a large document):
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h1105pcs.txt.pdf
4. Dear Colleague
Letters Build Support for Environmental
Education Funding in FY
2010
As appropriations hearings for FY 2010 begin on Capitol Hill, dear colleague letters have been circulated throughout Congress to drum up support for environmental and sustainability education funding. Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) circulated a Dear Colleague letter earlier this month supporting $50 million in funding for the University Sustainability Program (USP) in FY 2010. The USP, supported by more than 250 college and university Presidents, authorizes funding for American colleges and universities to develop, implement, and evaluate sustainability programs and practices. The USP will also bolster sustainability education and research.
Congressmen Jared Polis (D-CO), Mike Castle (R-DE) and John Sarbanes (D-MD) circulated a Dear Colleague that supports $14 million in funding for the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA) at the EPA. The EPA’s Office of Environmental Education supports several highly-leveraged, but under-resourced programs including the Environmental Education and Training Partnership, the National Environmental Education Foundation, an environmental education grant program, the Weather and the Environment program, the Health and the Environment program, National Public Lands Day, the Business and Environment program, Project Learning Tree, the National Audubon Society’s education initiatives, and other efforts. The program has been level funded at $9 million for several years and NWF and its partners are working to increase funding to the authorized level of $14 million, while simultaneously pushing for a reauthorization that will ultimately increase the authorization to $50 million.
Both of these letters will be delivered to the relevant appropriations subcommittees later this week.
5. Great Outdoors Month
Proclamations
On March 2nd key environmental and recreation community leaders sent a letter to President Obama requesting that he declare June “Great Outdoors Month.” Presidential proclamations for June as Great Outdoors Month is a tradition stretching back to 1997 that inspires families and individuals to get outdoors, volunteer at parks and lead healthier, more active lives. Great Outdoors Month has brought attention to important events such as National Trails Day, National Boating and Fishing Week, the Great American Backyard Campout, National Get Outdoors Day, and other events in June.
In addition to the letter sent to the President, letters will also be sent to all 50 Governors asking that they declare June “Great Outdoors Month” in their individual states. Last year, 40 Governors took advantage of the chance to encourage their constituents to reconnect with nature and enjoy the great outdoors. While these proclamations make June “THE” month to get outdoors, we certainly hope that people will continue to participate in outdoor recreation long after Great Outdoors Month ends.
Read the 2009 Presidential and Governor’s Proclamations for Great Outdoors Month:
http://www.funoutdoors.com/node/view/2068
6.
On
Tuesday, March 24th, the Texas State
Senate held a hearing on Bill 205, sponsored by
Senator Eliot Shapleigh, to
establish a Texas Partnership for Children and
Nature. The partnership would
unite four agencies in the creation of a state
plan to connect children with
nature in
During the hearing Allen Cooper,
Education
Campaign Director at NWF, testified on the
benefits of passing this bill. He was
joined by eight other supporters providing
testimony, including a school
superintendent, Texas Land Trust Council, the
Partnership for a Healthy Texas,
Texas Impact, and others. While there is still
a lot of work to be done to pass
this bill,
Read the
Bill to Create a