ANCA Peer CONNECTS: Ohio [in-person]

Friday, October 21, 2022, 9:30am - 3pm

Join your nature center peers for an in-person ANCA Peer CONNECTS meeting at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes in Cleveland, Ohio. This meeting is for any professional in the nature and environmental learning center community — we welcome both ANCA members and non-members along with professionals from outside Ohio to attend. 

At this CONNECTS meeting you can learn in depth about the operations of nature centers and related organizations, and engage with peers who understand the challenges you face. Beyond programs, too, you will have the opportunity to visit and explore the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, seeing their operations firsthand.

Participants will be able to choose from an assortment of facilitated discussions, sessions where all participants contribute to the conversation. Facilitators guide the dialogue but do not give a formal presentation. These discussions are an excellent opportunity to share with your peers, learn new ideas, discuss trends in the profession, and work together to find solutions.

Discussion topics will include ADA-accessible trails, capital campaigns, and succession planning. We are currently finalizing the sessions and the schedule, and will announce these in late September.

We look forward to gathering again in-person to connect and share ideas!
 

Registration

Registration is $40 for ANCA members and $50 for non-members. This includes the cost of a light breakfast snack and a boxed lunch.

Register here

To qualify for the member rate, attendees need to be current Student, Emeritus, Associate, or Professional Members or an employee or board member of an Organization Member. Not a member? You can join here. Want to upgrade to an Organization membership? Please email .

About the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes

The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes is a 501(c)(3) that was founded in 1966 as the result of a grassroots community effort to preserve the Shaker Parklands from becoming the route for a new freeway connecting Cleveland's Eastside to downtown. The parklands had been designated in the late 19th century as a natural green space, set aside by the city of Cleveland for the benefit of its fast growing population.

In 2016, the Nature Center embarked on a 6.1 million dollar capital campaign to improve the overall visitor experience. The capital campaign improvements included pedestrian connections to trails and neighborhoods, an ADA-compliant All Peoples’ Trail, reconstructed viewing areas, an imaginative treehouse, new space for gathering at an amphitheater, a Nature Play Area, habitat restoration across the 20-acre property and more.

Each year, more than 17,000 children participate in 40,000 hours of school programs and camps, including a strong early childhood program for several East Side school districts and the Cleveland Public Schools. More than 140,000+ people visit the Nature Center each year, using the trails and grounds to learn more about and connect with nature.

Location

Address: 2600 South Park Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44120
Directions on Google Maps

ANCA COVID Policy

ANCA’s priority in all meetings and events is the safety and welfare of our attendees, exhibitors, partners, and team. Therefore, ANCA will implement and follow all current recommendations and requirements related to COVID-19 from the CDC, State, and Local health departments. In addition, ANCA continuously monitors the science around COVID-19 and its variants and updates plans and protocols as needed. 

Requirements

To attend and participate in an in-person ANCA event, you must:

• Be fully vaccinated unless eligible for a legal exemption.
  • This rule is mandated by ANCA. Proof of vaccination status is on the honor code and you will be asked to confirm your status when you register for the event.
  • If eligible for a legal exemption, 
    • a negative COVID-19 PCR test result must be obtained within 72 hours of the first day of the event 
    • or a COVID-19 Rapid test result must be obtained within 24 hours of the first day of the event.
  • Although not required, booster doses are recommended. 
• Masking requirements will be determined by the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes closer to the date of the event.