Want new ideas for your organization? Read the latest issue of Directions, the ANCA journal. With trends in the profession and stories of innovative leadership, Directions is a must-read for anyone in the nature & environmental learning center field.
Read Directions here (4mb pdf)
This fall issue features stories and information about:
Data-driven principles for effective virtual environmental education
- “The lessons we learn about how to do distance learning now can help enhance pre- and post-visit experiences for field experiences and connect with new audiences who cannot make it to our sites. Collectively, if we all invest our best into distance learning, we can inspire and enable youth attending our programs to help solve the socio-ecological problems we face in society today.” — Researchers Eileen Merritt, Marc Stern, Bob Powell, and Troy Frensley
Promoting unity around nature
- "If you fill a room with people on both sides of our much divided nation you can find common ground with three questions. The questions can vary but examples include, 'Did you ever stop what you were doing to simply watch the sunset? Did you climb trees or build forts as a kid? Do you enjoy spending time at the beach, in your local park, or at a nature center?'" — Jen Levy, ANCA Executive Director
Developing a box program
- "We have learned greatly from our trial and error — and success — with these boxes and are constantly growing and adapting to the ever-changing learning environment with our local school systems.” — Emily Ludy, Rental/Program Coordinator at Irvine Nature Center
Addressing climate change at nature centers
- "Knowing that I have the full support of the administration has made all the difference in my confidence in approaching climate change issues through public programming. The truth is that deniers, who are the minority in most populations, tend to be more outspoken than those who accept the reality of climate change. We need to make climate change a topic of everyday conversation in order to make lasting changes in our behavior." — Savannah Donovan, Environmental Public Program Coordinator at Anita Purves Nature Center / Urbana Park District
Reflections on the ANCA Virtual Summit
- “The Virtual Summit was my first ANCA Summit and I went in with the assumption that I would learn interesting information, but not feel like I got the benefit of being able to network. After the first set of facilitated discussions this was completely flipped upside down! I was so impressed by how well everyone shared the virtual floor and made sure to include everyone in sessions. As a new participant, I felt welcomed, included, and even made a few contacts to continue conversation with after the conference.” — Sara Jose, Preserve Manager at the Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve & Learning Center