CBEEN enjoyed 5 days of environmental education festivities in Fernie from November 23-27, 2016. This included two workshops, several member networking events, our Annual General Meeting, the first meeting of our 2016-2017 Board of Directors, and a Community Celebration of Environmental Education where were presented our Awards of Environmental Education Excellence.

In partnership with the Calgary Outdoors Centre, CBEEN facilitated 3 days of the Outdoor Council of Canada’s (OCC) Field Leadership Training.  Community Educators and teachers of varying backgrounds participated, including outdoor educators with 30+ years of experience and science professionals looking to offer new field-based education programs.  14 participants from across the Basin brought their experience and enthusiasm for nature education to the course this year. Now certified to lead students in the outdoors, our Community Educators are empowered to share their understanding of the natural world by taking students into the environments they study.

In partnership with WildBC, 20 educators also enjoyed exploring the new curriculum outdoors at the ‘Get Outdoors with the new Curriculum Workshop’. They were able to try out activities, exchange ideas, and discover new ways to integrate place-based learning and community connections to their practice. They walked away with the Get Outdoors Educator’s Guide, Place-based Learning Examples, a Field Trip Checklist, and Outdoor Classroom Essentials. All workshop participants enjoyed a healthy lunch courtesy of the students at Fernie Secondary School.

The Fernie Arts Station Hall was packed with nearly 40 CBEEN members in attendance! Members heard an update on the 2015-2016 year, were provided with a full financial report, and had the opportunity to elect their 2016-2017 board of directors. Click here for our 2015-2016 Annual Report and click here to see our 2016-2017 Board of Directors.

CBEEN also hosted a Celebration of Environmental Education in partnership with Wildsight Elk Valley and the Elk River Alliance which was attended by over 60 people. This event came complete with Environmental Education Expo and EE Vignettes. Short presentations were made by Isabella Dicken Elementary School, Blue Lake Centre, East Kootenay Invasive Species Society, Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program and Elk River Alliance.

At this event we presented our Awards of Environmental Education Excellence to 7 amazing educators from across the Columbia Basin. Congrats to Leigh Cormier, Janet Kuijt, Natasha Burgess, Susie MacDonald, Dave Quinn, Shanoon Bennett and Lee-Anne Walker. Click here for the full story.

The weekend was capped off with a 6-hour board meeting which looked at strategic opportunities to better support environmental educators in the Columbia Basin. From this emerged ways of directing program and resource development to be undertaken over the next 18 months.

We would like to offer our sincere thanks to the supporters of these events, including Columbia Basin Trust, Mountain Equipment Coop, Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program – Columbia Basin and Southeast School District #5. We look forward to our next set of community events which will run from June 1-3 in Castlegar. For more information please email info@cbeen.org.