Links to Related National Water Education Resources
Cooperative Extension Supports Youth Environmental Stewardship (CESYES)
This national project has pulled together a number of resources, and has developed a few of its own, to facilitate program development and delivery for Extension educators, 4-H county and state faculty, and professionals from other natural resources agencies to serve communities, youth leaders and youth.
- Earth Connections: Engaging Youth in Community Environmental Activities
- Earth Connections: Planning Youth-Directed Natural Resources and Environmental Action Programs
Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE)
DLESE resources include electronic materials for both teachers and learners, such as lesson plans, maps, images, data sets, visualizations, assessment activities, curriculum, online courses, and much more. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, DLESE is being designed, built, and governed by community members from around the country.
Educating Young People About Water (EYPAW)
EYPAW guides and water curricula database provide assistance for developing a community-based, youth water education program. These resources target youth and link educators to key community members to build partnerships to meet common water education goals. See especially,
- An archived database of Youth Water Education Curricula
- Educating Young People About Water. A Guide to Planning and Evaluation
- Educating Young People About Water. A Guide to Unique Program Strategies
Getting in Step. A guide for Conducting Watershed Outreach Campaigns, 3rd edition, Nov 2010
Getting in Step provides tools for the development and implementation of an effective watershed outreach plan. If you’re a watershed practitioner trained in the sciences, this manual will help you address public perceptions promote management activities, and inform or motivate stakeholders. Developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, The Council of State Governments, and Tetra Tech, Inc.
Guide to Great Lakes Fisheries Education Resources
This website describes Great Lakes fisheries education resources in terms of content and education approach. Search for Great Lakes fisheries education resources or use the resources to promote Great Lakes ecosystem and fisheries education efforts.
Polluted Runoff (Nonpoint Source Pollution)
This US EPA website offers a variety of nonpoint source education resources including:
- Section 319 Nonpoint Source Success Stories
- Training/meetings
- Youth Resources
Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation Resources (RBFF)
The RBFF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating and thereby increase public awareness and appreciation of the need for protecting, conserving and restoring this nation’s aquatic natural resources.
Supporting Community-Based Environmental Education (CBEE)
Project materials focus on two issues: How to support community involvement in decision-making about the environment, and how to most efficiently and effectively use the strengths of the sponsoring agencies, US EPA and USDA Cooperative Extension, when working with communities.
The following project pamphlets are particularly relevant to evaluating BEPs:
- Building Capacity: Educating for Community Action
- Building Capacity: From Transferring to Transforming
- Building Capacity: Community Based Environmental Education in Practice
USA Volunteer Water Quality Network
Volunteer monitoring can be a tremendous asset to water quality and quantity protection and restoration efforts. While volunteers contribute their efforts to these citizen science initiatives for “free,” these cost-effective programs require a great deal of planning and ongoing management. A Guide for Growing Volunteer Monitoring Programs directs program coordinators to resources for building successful programs. See the USA Volunteer Water Quality Network website, and especially:
- Getting Started: Finding Resources in the Guide for Growing CSREES Volunteer Monitoring Programs
- Building Credibility: Quality Assurance and Quality Control for Volunteer Monitoring Program
- Tools for Effective Outreach
- From the Trenches – Tips and Tools for Better Presentations
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Watershed Central Wiki
The Watershed Central Wiki provides a community knowledge base for more effective watershed management and implementation. You can:
- Share your best practices, case studies and lessons learned;
- See what other watershed organizations are up to & learn from them;
- Identify partners in your watershed area;
- Evaluate and comment on watershed management tools or report on new tools;
- View a map with water monitoring stations, high-resolution aerial photography, and more for your watershed;
- Provide a link to your watershed management plan for others to learn from;
- Create a page about your organization, add a map, and share it among members of your group
US FWS, National Refuge System, Outdoor Learning
Outdoor learning resources for adults and youth focus on birds; butterflies, bees, and bats; wilderness; and wildlife.
Water Academy Web: Online Training in Watershed Management
The US EPA Watershed Academy offers a variety of self-paced training modules that represent a basic and broad introduction to the watershed management field. Watershed Academy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Water Action Volunteers
This Wisconsin citizen stream monitoring program provides a youth curriculum applicable in any state, and links content to common core science standards.
