ANNUAL CONFERENCE
April 22 - 24, 2021
CELEBRATE OUR ROOTS IN EE AS WE GROW FORWARD
We have had to re-evaluate the pandemic and, seeing the challenges many organizations still have with budgets, we made the decision to go virtual for our Conference.
Join us April 22-24, 2021 as we celebrate our roots in EE as we grow forward! Our LEEF virtual conference will be celebrating 40 years since our first meeting. Learn about the amazing work across the state showcasing longer term EE projects or programs, innovative environmental education during the pandemic, and efforts emphasizing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Thank you to our sponsors Florida Gulf Coast Center for Environmental and Sustainability Education and the Ocean Conservancy. We're excited to announce that Dr. Marty Main from the University of Florida and Mr. Ray Coleman from the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Pine Jog Environmental Education Center, will be our keynote speakers.
More details will be posted soon about schedule and speakers.
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Marty Main
Dr. Main is a Professor in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida. He has also served as an interim Department Chair, Associate Dean of Extension, and Associate Director of Florida Sea Grant at the University of Florida. He has a diverse educational background, including a
Dr. Main’s research has been broadly focused on behavioral ecology, human-wildlife conflict, and conservation and management of wildlife habitat and has included studies of coyotes, the Florida panther and of jaguars in Central and South America to name a few. Marty is best known for developing the Florida Master Naturalist Program, which includes a suite of natural history and conservation education courses taught by a statewide network of certified instructors. The FMNP has won many awards, including the Eugene P. Odum Award for Excellence in Ecology Education from the Ecological Society of America. | Ray Coleman
Mr. Ray Coleman, the Executive Director at the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Pine Jog Environmental Education Center, has over 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience. Ray holds a B.A. degree in Psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Master’s degree in Social Work and post-master’s certificate in Industrial Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh. He is presently enrolled as a doctoral student in the FAU College of Education, Educational Leadership in Community and Adult Education program, where he is focusing on perceptions of climate change in low-income communities and strategies for building community resilience. Since joining FAU, he has charted a new course for Pine Jog by incorporating several new initiatives such as the H2O to Go Residential Research Institutes, the Pine Jog Community Laboratory, the OrKIDS program, the Educational Connections to Ongoing Research Projects (E-CORP) program, the Apple Snail Adoption Program (ASAP) and a myriad of others. With his formal roots in Social Work and having spent much of his career in leadership roles, Ray believes in relationship building and humanitarianism. The professional relationships Ray forges are intended to engage community partners. Partners like the Everglades Foundation for whom Pine Jog created an Everglades literacy conceptual framework, and Florida Gulf Coast University’s Vester Marine Field Station to implement the second phase of H2O to Go on the West coast of Florida. |
.jpg)
What To Expect At This Year's Conference
- Environmental resources for K-12 educators (curricula, books, and more)
- Innovative approaches to teaching children and youth about the environment through outdoor as well as virtual programs
- Tips and resources for establishing partnerships with organizations, communities, and families
- First-hand account of the challenges and opportunities in establishing a nature school
- Ideas for creating nature-focused experiential learning opportunities and expanding environmental awareness and knowledge for all ages
- Ways to take action through social justice and address issues of accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Insight into bridging research and practice on teaching outdoors
- How higher education faculty can increase knowledge and environmental literacy through campus-based projects and integrating content across course disciplines
- Examples of garden projects in elementary and high school settings
- Engaging with the environment through citizen science and urban forestry programs
- How to get inspired to take actions that support sustainability, stewardship, and "greener" living
- Opportunities to learn about hydroponics and Florida's water resources
- Exploration of Florida's wildlife, plants, and insects
LEEF Members: $40
LEEF Non-Members: $75
(Unable to attend but still interested in supporting LEEF? Donate here!)
IMPORTANT!
*Please note that if you registered for a previous conference that was cancelled due to Covid, you may have a balance on your account that can be used for this conference. Follow the following instructions to take advantage of this option:
- Log in as a LEEF Member (very important!!!)
- Click to Register for the conference
(You will notice your overpayment down in the bottom right of your screen)
- Cross your fingers and click Register; if everything goes the way it should, your registration fee will be deducted automatically from your overpayment balance!
If it does not deduct automatically:
- Go back one screen using the back arrow and click on View/Pay Invoice
- You may get a message that asks you to click on the invoices you want to activate; if necessary, click on the invoice for the overpayment amount as well as the invoice for the new registration. Sometimes this entire step is done automatically!
- Click Settle (Fingers still crossed?), and your registration will be confirmed. You will notice that your overpayment amount has decreased by the new registration deduction.
If none of this works, contact Vicki Crisp, Treasurer@leef-florida.org, for assistance.
Sponsors and Partners
Founded in 1983, the League of Environmental Educators in Florida is the professional association for individuals and organizations dedicated to the cause of environmental education in Florida. We are the state affiliate for North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), an organization that brings together those interested in the study and enjoyment of our natural world and one that has promoted excellence in environmental education throughout North America and the world for over four decades.
The League of Environmental Educators in Florida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
© 2021by the League of Environmental Educators in Florida.