ABOUT US
CBEEN is the regional network for environmental education in the Columbia Basin.
MISSION
To encourage environmental stewardship and sustainability in the Canadian Columbia Basin by supporting environmental educators.
VISION
People in the Canadian Columbia Basin respect the natural environment and engage in sustainable activities.
GOALS
1. Maintain a vibrant and engaged network of educators in the Canadian Columbia Basin, and provide this network with excellent environmental education professional development resources and opportunities.
2. Facilitate collaboration amongst members, partner organizations, and Basin communities to effectively achieve our shared mandates and vision.
3. Undertake a process to better role model and support diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of Environmental Education.
4. Expand network to increase engagement with and support for early years educators.
5. Maintain a sustainable organization which has effective and ethical governance in accordance with its non-profit and charitable status.
CBEEN is a Non-Profit Society and Registered Charity.
Over a decade ago, educators from across the Canadian Columbia Basin recognized that they shared geographic and cultural links and also a common interest in environmental education (EE).
The Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network (CBEEN) was born out of this shared sense of identity and from the common desire to support and promote EE on a regional scale. Over the past 10 years CBEEN has grown from a small group of passionate educators to a large and vibrant network of educators from across the Columbia Basin and beyond.
The Canadian Columbia Basin stretches from the Okanagan in the west to the Alberta border in the east and from Valemount in the north to the United States border in the south.
The communities within this region are linked through the water and their citizens’ past and future are intertwined historically, socially, economically, and environmentally. The region is also internationally recognized for its biodiversity values. Networks like CBEEN facilitate connections and information exchange among individuals who share common interests, inspiring innovation and efficiencies at all levels. This is especially important in the largely rural context of the Canadian Columbia Basin where communities are small, geographically dispersed and resources are limited.
Staff & Board of Directors
Awards
In 2018, CBEEN’s Executive Director, Duncan Whittick, won the Canadian Environmental Education ‘Outstanding Individual in an Organization’ award. This national award is presented to an individual associated with an organization who has made a significant contribution to environmental education in Canada.
In 2018, Cheryl Lenardon (CBEEN Director) received a Canadian Award of Excellence on behalf of the Kootenay-Boundary Environmental Education Committee (KBEE), representing school districts 5, 6, 8, 10, 20 and 51. This is an initiative of the Kootenay-Boundary Chapter of the BC School Superintendents Association.
In 2014, CBEEN was successful in nominating the Columbia Basin Trust for a National Award of Excellence, recognizing their outstanding capacity building efforts of environmental education across the Columbia Basin. CBEEN had the privilege of presenting this to CBT on behalf of the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication.
In 2015, CBEEN was the sole recipient of the province-wide BC School Superintendent Association (BCSSA) Community Award of Recognition. This award recognized CBEEN’s “outstanding contributions to support and enhance public school education in the Province of British Columbia”.
In 2015, CBEEN Director Monica Nissen was named ‘Outstanding Environmental Education Non-Profit Individual’ by the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication (EECOM) at its national conference in Canmore.
In 2013, CBEEN was named ‘Outstanding Environmental Education Membership Organization’ by the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication (EECOM) at its national conference for its ongoing successful support of environmental education across the region.
Wildsafebc Arrow - Slocan Lakes and WildSafeBC Columbia Valley have two positions available. Check them out on our Job Board! cbeen.ca/job-board/ ... See MoreSee Less
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We can't wait to officially launch this new resource book next week! Join us for our virtual launch workshop: outdoorlearning.com/event/learning-with-the-land/
And you can pre-order your copy at a 10% discount until April 30, when this book is officially released into the world! outdoorlearning.com/product/learning-with-the-land/ ... See MoreSee Less
Learning with the Land Virtual Workshop - Outdoor Learning School & Store
outdoorlearning.com
Join us for this FREE virtual workshop to celebrate the brand new Learning with the Land: A Nature Playbook!0 CommentsComment on Facebook
A few more photos from a fantastic weekend connecting and collaborating with educational leaders from across the Columbia Basin and beyond. 💚
Nipika Mountain Resort
Environmental Educators Provincial Specialist Association (EEPSA)
Classrooms 2 Communities Education Network
The Outdoor Learning School & Store
School District No. 6 - Rocky Mountain
School District 5 Southeast Kootenay ... See MoreSee Less
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Wow! 🤩 What a weekend. So generative to be working alongside 35 amazing educational leaders from across the Columbia Basin and beyond. We will share more photos tomorrow, but we wanted to give you a taste of the magic we experienced at Nipika Mountain Resort for our 13th annual environmental education leadership clinic 🥰.
Environmental Educators Provincial Specialist Association (EEPSA)
Classrooms 2 Communities Education Network
Take Me Outside
The Outdoor Learning School & Store ... See MoreSee Less
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🌼 Carolyn Roberts is our feature author & educator this month! outdoorlearning.com/2026/03/05/carolyn-roberts/ ... See MoreSee Less
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It's happening! 🌻 Our 13th annual Environmental Education Leadership Clinic is underway, with 35 educational leaders from across the Columbia Basin, and beyond. Offered in partnership with Environmental Educators Provincial Specialist Association (EEPSA), Classrooms 2 Communities Education Network, The Outdoor Learning School & Store and the Kootenay Boundary Environmental Education (KBEE) Committee of the BCSSA at Nipika Mountain Resort. ... See MoreSee Less
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Resource Release! 🌺 10% discount on pre-orders until April 30: outdoorlearning.com/product/learning-with-the-land/
We invite you to join us for our launch virtual workshop on April 28: outdoorlearning.com/event/learning-with-the-land/ ... See MoreSee Less
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School System Leaders - we hope you can join us on Thursday (April 23) for the Outdoor Learning Leadership Network session on Embracing and Managing Risk: takemeoutside.ca/olln/
Offered in partnership with Take Me Outside 🌳 ... See MoreSee Less
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🌿 4 Indigenous language learning courses that are open to EVERYONE: outdoorlearning.com/events/category/indigenous-language-learning/
☀ Indigenous languages carry connections to lands, ancestors, traditions, and contain ecological knowledge crucial for sustainable living, medicinal practices, and traditional storytelling, enriching our collective wisdom. By supporting Indigenous language revitalization efforts, we not only preserve linguistic diversity but also uphold Indigenous Peoples’ fundamental rights to their languages and cultures.
Our intention is not to offer a second language program where participants achieve fluency, but rather to provide a spark—an introduction that inspires and encourages further engagement with the language and broader revitalization efforts. We aim to create a welcoming space where learners can begin their journey, build connections, and develop a foundation for future learning opportunities. 🧡
Non-Indigenous participants can take steps towards reconciliation by participating in language courses like these as a way to uplift language revitalization and deepen their own understanding of local place. If you are a non-Indigenous language learner, we invite you to review these reflections on what it means to be a non-Indigenous learner in an Indigenous language learning course: outdoorlearning.com/non-indigenous-learners/ ... See MoreSee Less
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