Youth Engagement 2016 Impact Report Photo to come Thank you for making this a remarkable year for Youth Engagement at The Nature Conservancy. With your support, we have made great strides in empowering the next generation of conservation leaders. I’ve seen the impact of our partnership in communities around the world—from Los Angeles to New York City to Hong Kong—and heard from students, teachers and young leaders about the effect that our work has had on their lives. And, I’m proud to say that this impact has been profound. Through our efforts, we have provided high-quality environmental education curriculum, offered environmental volunteer opportunities for young people in their own schools and communities, and provided paid high school and college internships to equip and empower our future conservation leaders. Understanding the role that nature plays in our everyday lives is the first step to protecting our natural resources, and our efforts to educate today’s youth on a large scale ensures that the next generation grows up with a conservation ethic. Empowering young people to take volunteer action on behalf of the environment ensures future advocates for our natural resources. And, training and supporting youth as they embark on their college and professional careers in conservation ensures that our future leaders will represent the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of our nation’s largest cities. I am inspired by the positive impacts that we have been able to achieve this year, and I am truly thankful for your generous support of The Nature Conservancy’s Youth Engagement Programs, and for your partnership in helping us to build stronger communities, a healthier world and an educated and empowered generation of young people. Sincerely, Angela Brisson Acting Director, Youth Engagement Programs The Nature Conservancy 2 Strategies and Results There are 2.4 billion young people between the ages of 4 and 24 worldwide—almost half the global population. By 2030, 60 percent of city residents, who make up the majority of the world’s population, are predicted to be under 18. Today’s youth are growing up more disconnected from nature than ever before. If not exposed early to nature, they will be less likely to see themselves as stewards of the planet as they make decisions about the future of our natural resources. With your support, we are helping to prepare today’s youth with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to meet current and future critical environmental challenges. Strategies LEARN: Harnessing the power of technology to bring nature to life for millions of youth where they live, learn and play. Delivering curriculum, lesson plans and virtual field trips with top Conservancy scientists for educators to help students understand the benefits that nature provides. ACT: Growing volunteer opportunities for thousands of youth to become change agents. Empowering youth to create and implement natural solutions to environmental challenges in their communities. LEAD: Creating pathways to careers to empower hundreds of global conservation leaders. Developing a long-term leadership development program supporting students through high school and college internships and post-graduation fellowships. Results 1.8M 97K 854 students gained knowledge of environmental youth took volunteer action to address students and mentors gained conservation science and nature’s benefits through our education environmental challenges in their communities work experience and professional training curriculum and resources through our paid internship and programs 80% increase over 210% increase over 14% increase over © Devan King / TNC the previous year © Apples & Honey Photography the previous year © Karine Aigner the previous year 3 Learn Curriculum and Education This year, our digital education platform saw unprecedented growth and impact, providing innovative curriculum to more educators and classrooms across the U.S. than any previous year. This high-quality curriculum is provided free to teachers, helping to fill a critical need in the education community by building 21st century learning skills like critical thinking and problem-solving, while engaging future conservation leaders in environmental science. © Nick Burchell for TNC “Thank you for all you do, and for offering such wonderful resources so that we can educate our students about the importance of taking care of our environment and its inhabitants both now and in the future.” © People’s Television -Kathryn Ginter, 2nd Grade Teacher, Yardley, PA Impact at a Glance 1.8 million students reached through digital curriculum 294,000 students learned about global conservation strategies and science from top Conservancy experts through three virtual field trips 4 new videos created to support project-based science curriculum 6 new curriculum units developed, increasing resources for teachers in urban © Nick Burchell for TNC conservation and sustainability 4 Learn Curriculum and Education In 2016, we created new educational resources, giving teachers the resources to help students understand conservation science and the benefits of nature, from following urban stormwater in Washington, D.C. to understanding climate change through China’s forests. 6 New Lesson Plans: Urban Conservation & Sustainability 4 New Videos 3 Virtual Field Trips China URBAN RUNOFF: DESIGN A SCHOOL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN Adapted for Nature Works Everywhere from the lesson by by Sara Toas of the Ecology Center; featured in TNC’s LEAF Anthology Subject Area: Biology, Environmental Science Grade Levels: 9-12 Time: • Part 1: One to two 45-minute class periods • Part 2: Two 45-minute class periods, with more time needed for optional activities and research Essential Question: • How can we use green infrastructure solutions to better manage stormwater runoff on school grounds? Purpose and Overview: Large quantities of rainfall can have enormous consequences in cities, a fact that was reinforced tragically during and after superstorm Sandy in 2012. As damaged cities repair themselves, it is more important than ever to recognize the significance of innovation in these redesign efforts. Large scale storms aren’t the only events that can wreak havoc on an urban environment, even a typical summer storm can impact an urban area in ways that aren’t immediately obvious. For example, urban runoff can contain pollutants that are picked up as rainwater flows over urban surfaces. These pollutants eventually end up in our waterways and can have significant effects on the ecosystem. © Nick Hall Whether a city is rebuilding after a devastating storm or simply looking to revitalize and improve, working with nature rather than against it is a key part of the process of redesigning our cities to be more resilient and sustainable. This lesson introduces students to a variety of nature-based design ideas and asks them to consider which one would be best suited to dealing with urban runoff on their school grounds. For more information on nature-based solutions and green infrastructure, explore the article Accessing Urban Environmental Education Opportunities via Green Infrastructure found here: http://www.thenatureofcities.com/2016/07/03/accessing-urban-environmental-education-opportunities- via-green-infrastructure/. Palmyra Nature Works Everywhere Themes: Stormwater runoff in urban areas can contain pollutants that contaminate waterways. By using green infrastructure, we can harness the power of nature to filter stormwater and keep natural bodies of water clean for the organisms that depend on them. 1 | Lesson Plan – Urban Runoff © Ian Shive Peru © Jeffrey Parrish 5 Act Volunteerism and Service Learning Youth who spend hands-on time in nature, in the company of others, are more likely to “Having a school garden develop the aesthetic, emotional and social values that lead to deep personal commitments to makes me want to spend conservation. more time outside. I think This year, we expanded conservation stewardship opportunities for youth to engage in their there should be more own urban communities, with projects helping to address challenges related to climate change, school gardens around the air and water pollution, human health and quality of life. city, because they make us During the 2015-16 school year, we provided grants to 50 schools in urban neighborhoods stronger and help us learn across the country to build or amend school gardens. These school gardens benefit students more every day.” by allowing them greater hands-on science learning opportunities in outdoor classrooms, while - Fernando Arellanos, D.C. Bilingual Public Charter gaining service learning credits increasingly required to graduate. They also benefit families, School student, Washington, D.C. © People’s Television © People’s neighborhoods and the planet by empowering students to care for their local environment. Impact at a Glance 97,000 young people took volunteer action on behalf of the environment in their schools, urban communities, or on nature preserves 9,400 students gained direct access to nature and contributed to nature-based solutions to urban environmental challenges through school gardens 50 school gardens were built or revitalized © Jonathan Grassi 6 Act Volunteerism and Service Learning This year, we also increased volunteer opportunities for young people to contribute to environmental and community sustainability outside of school, in projects like tree planting in Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY, building rain gardens to help mitigate