LEEF Spring Mini-Conference

Join this pre-conference presentation dedicated to reconnect and advance efforts on climate education.  The Climate Educators Network and its associated project are nearly ready to be launched.  But before we share it with the rest of the world, we want your diverse feedback from across the state.  We will discuss next steps that shape the future of this network.

Incorporating the Science of Behavior Change into Environmental Lessons and Messaging:  The application of social sciences and psychology is paramount to the success of any conservation program. During this interactive session, participants will gain a fundamental understanding of conservation behavior change and gain new ideas on how to shape either their messaging or lesson plans to ensure that behavior change is not only present but effective. The purpose of this session is to equip any educator in any setting with the tools and knowledge to create impactful learning experiences for any audience.  

The Center for Biological Diversity has been focused on moving from our take-make-waste economy to one that is more supportive of people and the planet. Attendees to this session will learn about our waste prevention research but also the campaigns we’ve created to support individual and systems changes. Our waste prevention portfolio includes: 1) working to support secondhand/resale/thrift stores in partnership with Poshmark and the Small Business Administration; 2) incubating libraries of things throughout Florida with Shareable, 3) advocating for improved state-level food codes to clearly allow foodservice reuse with Upstream 4) drawing attention to the issue associated with blended fabrics in fast fashion with Collective Fashion Justice and 5) non-material gift giving. Our research includes: National survey results regarding the economy and how the zero waste community can embrace alternatives; National survey results related to alternative gift giving behaviors and secondhand shopping; and an analysis that found that more than half of wool knitwear is blended with plastic contributing to microplastic pollution and worsening the climate crisis.

Come learn how to integrate art and science to inspire learning in your local environment! This presentation will showcase three art activities from Archbold's Ecology Summer Camp that use creativity to connect campers to scientific concepts. Following the showcase, participants will brainstorm ideas for their own site-specific art activities.

Participants will learn to define a threatened species versus an endangered species, identify what physical and biological features necessary for conservation mean, and will be given examples in the context of the forest at Austin Carey for other threatened species woodpeckers and gopher tortoises. They will brainstorm water manatees need based on the examples given.  

4-H In School represents a collaborative initiative between UF/IFAS Extension program areas, aimed at delivering research-based educational content across various subject areas. A primary objective of 4-H In School is to introduce youth to diverse Extension programs including embryology, public speaking, and school gardens. In addition to those, Alachua County’s 4-H In Schools program offers several supplementary activities and presentations that primarily emphasize wildlife and environmental education, such as All About Snakes and Project Learning Tree, thereby broadening students' exposure to a wider array of topics. We invite you to explore what all Florida 4-H In School has to offer!