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.
π Join us on Tuesday for this free virtual celebration with 5 incredible authors! outdoorlearning.com/event/spring-celebration-2026/ ... See MoreSee Less
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Celebrating the INCREDIBLE women on our team who are leading positive change in our schools & communities across Turtle Island and around Mother Earth. π cbeen.ca/contact-cbeen/ ... See MoreSee Less
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Educators & parents - are you look for activities to take your children outside year-round? These 3 fantastic resources provide you with activities for every season. πβπ³β PLUS, the author is leading a 4 x 1 hour course on how to put them into practice! Learn more & sign-up: outdoorlearning.com/jacob-rodenburg/ ... See MoreSee Less
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Next week! Join Dr. Gregory Cajete for a virtual presentation: outdoorlearning.com/event/4-seasons-presentations-2025-2026/ This photo is from when Dr. Cajete presented at the EECOM Classrooms 2 Communities Education Network conference that we hosted.
Currently, he is Director of Native American Studies and an Associate Professor in the Division of Language, Literacy and Socio cultural Studies in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico.
Dr. Cajete has received several fellowships and academic distinctions, including the American Indian Graduate Fellowship from the US-DOE Office of Indian Education (1977-78); the DβarcyMcNickle Fellowship in American Indian History from the Newberry Library, Chicago, IL (1984-85); and the KatrinLamon Fellowship in American Indian Art and Education (1985-1986) from the School of American Research in Santa Fe, NM.
Dr. Cajete has authored a number of books, including Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence: outdoorlearning.com/product/native-science/
We hope you can join us! outdoorlearning.com/event/4-seasons-presentations-2025-2026/ ... See MoreSee Less
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πΏ Join us for a FREE virtual workshop next week with the authors of these outdoor & Indigenous learning books! outdoorlearning.com/event/spring-celebration-2026/ ... See MoreSee Less
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π₯° The very first sets of these JUST arrived! outdoorlearning.com/product/held-by-the-land-card-deck/ ... See MoreSee Less
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β This month's featured author is Dr. Leigh Joseph! outdoorlearning.com/2026/01/27/4-styawat-dr-leigh-joseph/
She is a member of the SkwxwΓΊ7mesh (Squamish) First Nation. Her ancestral name is Styawat and she is an ethnobotanist by training. She has worked with her home community of SkΜ±wxΜ±wuΜ7mesh, and other Indigenous communities, on research, teaching, ecological restoration and planting projects connected to Indigenous plant knowledge. She is currently living in her traditional homelands in SkwxwΓΊ7mesh (Squamish).
She holds a Masters of Science in Ethnobotany from the University of Victoria and a PhD focused on ethnobotany and Indigenous land-based and community-based research. All of her academic training has been guided by my community mentors, elders and is carried out in honor of my ancestors and future generations.
She is the author of:
π Held By the Land Card Deck
π³ Held by the Land: A Guide to Indigenous Plants for Wellness
β The Land Knows Me: A Nature Walk Exploring Indigenous Wisdom
You can find all these here: outdoorlearning.com/2026/01/27/4-styawat-dr-leigh-joseph/ ... See MoreSee Less
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π₯³ Today at 7pm Eastern / 4pm Pacific! Sign-up: outdoorlearning.com/event/mentorship-in-the-wild-leadership-adventure-wonder/ ... See MoreSee Less
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π· What's happening in March? mailchi.mp/outdoorlearning/march-2026 ... See MoreSee Less
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