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 citizensβ 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 &Β Board of Directors
Awards
In 2018, CBEEN’s Executive Director, Duncan Whittick, won the Canadian Environmental Education ‘Outstanding Individual in an Organization’ award.Β 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 βoutstanding contributions to support and enhance public school education in the Province of British Columbiaβ.
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 βOutstanding Environmental Education Membership Organizationβ 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.
A few BEAUTIFUL books just arrived! π₯°
π Outdoor Learning Across the Curriculum: outdoorlearning.com/.../outdoor-learning-across.../
π The Heart of a River: outdoorlearning.com/product/heart-of-a-river/
𧑠Teacher Guide: Speaking Our Truth β A Journey of Reconciliation: outdoorlearning.com/product/teacher-guide-speaking-our-truth/ ... See MoreSee Less
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We invite you to join us for our next (free!) virtual workshop: Climate and Sustainability Education Games and Resources π outdoorlearning.com/events/category/workshops/
Teaching about climate change can be daunting for educators. With science-backed, action based approaches β especially those that engage the imagination through play, you can engage learners without instilling fear and inspire them to feel empowered as they learning about climate and sustainability.
Offered in partnership with:
Take Me Outside
Solutions
Project WET Canada
Green Teacher ... See MoreSee Less
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Our Friends at the North American Association for Environmental Education - NAAEE are hosting an amazing free event to share new resources for teaching Climate Education on January 23, 2025.
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From Principles to Practice: New Resources for Teaching Climate Education | eePRO
eepro.naaee.org
Join us for a webinar featuring new (and free!) resources for integrating climate education into your teaching and learning. Three climate change leaders will share materials to advance climate change...0 CommentsComment on Facebook
π₯° We've fallen for Robin Wall Kimmerer's 2nd Edition of Braiding Sweetgrass! This new edition:
β Includes a new introduction from Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer
β Is a hardcover bound in stamped linen cloth with a bookmark ribbon and a deckled edge
β Features five brilliantly colored illustrations by artist Nate Christopherson
Order yours, with 100% of proceeds support outdoor learning non-profit initiatives: outdoorlearning.com/product/braiding-sweetgrass-2nd-edition/ ... See MoreSee Less
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Calling all SD8 teachers. Did you know your CBEEN membership is absolutely free? Your lovely School District has decided to cover this cost for you :). With a membership comes a free Wild Voices for Kids Program. We have a brand new program offering by the amazing Joseph Schmaltz. Click the link below to find out more about Joseph's Geology of the Kootenay's - A Trip Through Time program.
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Wild Voices Programs – CBEEN Online
cbeen.ca
Please select the price option that suits your needs, knowing that some schools donβt have access to the financial resources that others do.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Over 130 people have now registered! π₯°
Everyone is welcome to join us for this introductory online Ktunaxa Language Course starting on Monday, January 20th. outdoorlearning.com/event/ktunaxa-language-course/
Join Alfred Joseph and Mara Nelson for 8 weeks of Foundational Ktunaxa Language Learning. Learn the sounds, words and some history of the Ktunaxa Language. This course is designed for you to garner skills that will enable you to carry Ktunaxa Language forward to your classrooms, communities and on the Land.
We know that Indigenous knowledge and perspectives are foundational to outdoor learning and learning from the land, and that learning that language of the local land is a critical part of deepening knowledge and understanding. Non-Indigenous educators 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.
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 Peoplesβ fundamental rights to their languages and cultures.
If you are a non-Indigenous language learner, we encourage you to review these reflections prior to commencing this course on what it means to be a non-Indigenous learner in an Indigenous language learning course: outdoorlearning.com/non-indigenous-learners/
We hope you can join us! π» ... See MoreSee Less
Sign Up
Ktunaxa Introductory Language Course - Outdoor Learning School & Store
outdoorlearning.com
Scroll Down to Register Ktunaxa Introductory Online Language Course (8 x 90 min classes) Join Alfred Joseph and Mara Nelson for 8 weeks of Foundational Ktunaxa Language Learning. Learn the [β¦]2 CommentsComment on Facebook
If I want to get nosey, do I have to sign up, π€π€π¬π³ππ
Amazing Mara Nelson, Alfred W Joseph, Mardelle Sauerborn & Jade Berrill! π
π€― WOW! 116 people have already signed up for the Ktunaxa Introductory Online Language Course ! It starts on January 20th, so you've still got time to join. This is an incredible opportunity to learn from some wonderful language instructors.
This course is open to everyone β both Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants who wish to learn to uplift language revitalization.
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 Peoplesβ fundamental rights to their languages and cultures.
We know that Indigenous knowledge and perspectives are foundational to outdoor learning and learning from the land, and that learning that language of the local land is a critical part of deepening knowledge and understanding. Non-Indigenous educators 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.
Learn more & sign-up: ... See MoreSee Less
Ktunaxa Introductory Language Course - Outdoor Learning School & Store
outdoorlearning.com
Scroll Down to Register Ktunaxa Introductory Online Language Course (8 x 90 min classes) Join Alfred Joseph and Mara Nelson for 8 weeks of Foundational Ktunaxa Language Learning. Learn the [β¦]2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Θ»makiⱑ SuΚkniππΌ
Alfred W Joseph & Mara Nelson - wow! π€―
Ressources, outils et formations en franΓ§ais π
outdoorlearning.com/language/francais/ ... See MoreSee Less
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On the recommendation of Indigenous staff, advisors and partners, we have recently made these incredible Indigenous Learning Resources available: outdoorlearning.com/2024/11/15/10-new-indigenous-learning-resources/
β The Serviceberry: An Economy of Gifts and Abundance
β Robin Wall Kimmerer 4 Book Bundle
β The Medicine of Stories 4 Book Bundle
β Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation
β Tresser les herbes sacrΓ©es
β Taanishi Books: Michif and English or Michif et FranΓ§ais
β Cedar School Decodable Stories (20 book set)
β Can You Hear the Plants Speak?
β Be a Good Ancestor
β Braiding Sweetgrass: 2nd Edition now available!
View all of the Indigenous Learning Resources that we have available: outdoorlearning.com/2024/11/15/10-new-indigenous-learning-resources/ ... See MoreSee Less
10 New Indigenous Learning Resources! - Outdoor Learning School & Store
outdoorlearning.com
On the recommendation of Indigenous staff, advisors and partners, we have recently made these incredible Indigenous Learning Resources available: The Serviceberry: An Economy of Gifts and Abundance Ro...0 CommentsComment on Facebook