Conservancy Connects People to the Land Through Environmental Education

Training for teachers and conservation crews spreads stewardship message beyond Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.

Nearly every day of the week, Irvine Ranch Conservancy staff and docents lead interpretive hikes in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks and teach participants about the natural world around them. Now the Conservancy is expanding its reach with environmental education programs that will take its stewardship message outside of the bounds of the Irvine Ranch.

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One such program is called “Teaching the Outdoors: Environmental Education Activities for Teachers.” This is a new workshop for education professionals who are or want to teach environmental education to kids of all ages. The program is presented by trained facilitators who will train teachers to present activities from both Project Learning Tree and Project Wet, two nationally-known environmental education organizations. Limestone Canyon will provide the backdrop for the workshop and hike on April 21 from 9 am to 1 pm, resulting in teachers prepared to take the outdoors into the classroom through activities recognized by the North American Association for Environmental Education.

​The Conservancy is also providing training this week to the California Conservation Corps. Working in the Irvine Quail Hill area, Conservancy staff will provide training in plant identification, safe use of tools and sensitive habitats. Corpsmembers will not only put their new skills to work in Irvine, but also apply what they’ve learned to restoration areas throughout the state. The public is invited to come out and learn alongside the Corps, with public activity days on April 12 and 26, 8:30 to 11:30 am.

For more information on these programs, or to participate in a regularly-scheduled interpretive hike in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, visit www.LetsGoOutside.org/activities.