Environmental & Sustainability Education Caucus
ESEC – What Happens?
ESEC monthly meetings are vibrant gatherings of those working in, volunteering in, or interested in environmental education (EE) and/or sustainability education. At a meeting, you can expect to network and learn about current and upcoming EE based projects, programs and events from across the province. The main purpose of these meetings is to promote collaboration and advance EE in Nova Scotia. We may also discuss current ESEC projects including an Environmental Education Conference for teachers, or our Summer Solstice Event.
How to Connect
Monthly meetings typically take place the last Friday of every month, (except for July and August) with the host location rotating monthly. Members are encouraged to join meetings via telephone if based in other countries or throughout the province. We encourage you to check out the group’s Facebook page where you will find details for the monthly meeting, and learn about various EE related programs. News and events are also shared on the ESEC LinkedIn page.
The ESEC also has a Google Group where you will find minutes from monthly meetings and information about upcoming events. Email an ESEC team member to subscribe!
For more info on ESEC or the Google Group, please email an ESEC Team member:
Katie Scott (Email), Outreach Specialist at Ducks Unlimited
Recent Projects
In addition to monthly meetings, the ESEC organized our two annual professional development workshops in 2019! The first took place June 21, 2019, where we hosted our annual Summer Solstice Event. This event is held in place of our monthly meeting, and is the last meeting before our summer hiatus, before re-connecting in the fall. This year’s event was held at the Deanery Project in Ship Harbour, NS where nearly 30 Environmental Educators and community members gathered for the event. Although it certainly didn’t feel like a summer day outside, it was an inspiring day filled with skill sharing workshops, presentations, and a delicious potluck lunch! This year’s event was also combined with the NSEN AGM and the initial meeting of the Water Caucus.
Check out the 7 video snapshots of environmental education programs in the province from spring 2017 here!
+ Read More
In response to the feedback and keen interest from our first NS Environmental Education Professional Development Day held in October 2018, the ESEC once again hosted the event in October 2019. This year the professional development day (a part of the Atlantic Science Teachers Conference) was held at the Natural Resources Education Centre in Musquodobit, NS. This Story Map was used during an introduction to provide participants with a place based connection and context. Over 40 teachers and environmental Educators participated in 17 different workshops from 16 individuals and groups. Presentations were delivered on a variety of curriculum-linked environmental topics to provide teachers with the skills and knowledge to bring environment and sustainability related lessons into their teaching practice. Presenters included: Divert NS, Green Schools NS, The Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq, Project Wet, School Strike for Climate Change, SuperNOVA at Dalhousie University, Extinction Rebellion NS, Re-connecting with Nature, Nutrients for Life Foundation Canada, Nourish Nova Scotia, NS Envirothon, Ducks Unlimited Canada, iNaturalist, NS Young Naturalists Club, The Deanery Project, Re-imagining Atlantic Harbours-RAH. The lunch was catered with locally-sourced food from Moon Fire Farm, and supported through Divert NS, Efficiency NS, and the AST. Thanks to all who attended, presented or helped in organizing the event! We look forward to hosting again in 2020!
On October 26th. 2018, several partners of the ESEC got together to deliver the first Nova Scotia Environmental professional development day, as a satellite meeting of the Atlantic Science Teachers conference. The Nova Scotia Environmental professional development was held at the Wetland Centre in the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park. Sixty-three teachers from different parts of Nova Scotia, came to attend the Professional Development Day. The feedback received from teachers and partners was positive around the conference, workshops, information received. We want to thank all the teachers and partners that joined us during the day, for their enthusiasm, participation, collaboration, and leadership. We are pleased to hear that everyone was thinking about how we can do this again next year, and we will capitalize on any opportunities.
The last meeting for the season was the annual Summer Solstice gathering on June 22, 2018, at the Fultz House Museum in Sackville. A few members presented their programs while good food and good conversations were had! We are looking forward to connecting over the summer digitally to plan a Professional Development day and will reunite in person again in September.
Mission
“To raise the profile of environmental and sustainability education in Nova Scotia through increasing understanding, capacity, and communication amongst environmental organizations and their partners in order to maintain ecological integrity and sustainable communities.”
Target Audience
Formal, non-formal and informal education systems.
+ Our Goals are ...
- to increase communication, encourage collaboration, and share resources among groups and their partners.
- to provide training and professional development for educators, ENGO’s and their partners.
- Provide a network of environmental educators and resources to ENGO’s and their partners across the province.
- to collaborate on raising awareness of environmental and sustainability issues.
- to further promote the integration of environmental and sustainability education and policy.
- to facilitate evaluation and research that supports environmental and sustainability education.
+ We Believe...
- in conserving natural ecosystems as our priority.
- that better education encourages individuals to adopt behaviours which reduce environmental impact and promote human health as it relates to the natural environment.
- that environmental education is essential in creating a connection with the natural world which will cause individuals to care for it and want to protect it.
- that corporate, government and institutional structures must adopt sound environmental practices.
- that environmental and sustainability education is a critical component of the curriculum in the public and post-secondary education system.
- in fostering the spiritual, physical, emotional and social well being of individuals and communities as they relate to the natural environment.
- in environmental, economic and social changes occurring through a democratic and grassroots community development process.
- that environmental and sustainability education address the relationships between injustice, poverty and environmental issues on a local and global scale.
- that environmental and sustainability education be accessible to all.
- that environmental and sustainability education respect cultural diversity.