To further its mission to support environmental education throughout Santa Cruz County, the SCCOE has launched the Environmental Education Resource Fair. Santa Cruz County is home to a thriving community of environmental organizations whose services include outreach and educational programs for schools. The Fair provided a venue for twenty-four environmental groups to present program information to more than one hundred teachers, administrators, and members of the public. Attendees viewed programs that incorporate environmental science into classroom instruction and link students to opportunities for scientific exploration and investigation. Exhibitors presented information on marine science resources, recycling programs, wildlife and watershed preservation, state and county park programs, outdoor science schools, and school garden programs, among others. Due to the enthusiastic response of both presenters and educators, the SCCOE has already begun to plan for next year’s fair.

The SCCOE is home to two local environmental programs, the Santa Cruz Outdoor Science School for 5th and 6th graders and Region 5 CREEC Network (California Regional Environmental Education Community Network). Santa Cruz Outdoor Science School offers students a four or five-day residential program grounded in investigation of Santa Cruz County’s rich coastal redwood forest ecosystem. CREEC, an environmental education program supported by the California Department of Education in collaboration with state, regional, and local partners, links over 2,000 environmental education providers and resources. CREEC is the state’s most comprehensive environmental resource for educators. Visit Santa Cruz Outdoor Science School at www.osp.santacruz.k12.ca.us and CREEC at www.creec.org/.

Participants of the First Annual Environmental Education Resource Fair:
Banana Slug String Band
CAFF-Farm-to-School Program
California Institute for Biodiversity
California State Parks (Ano Nuevo, Natural Bridges, Henry Cowell, Seacliff, Wilder)
Coastal Watershed Council
CREEC Network-California Regional Environmental Education Community Network
Earth Cards
Ecology Action
EcoTeach
Exploring New Horizons
Food, What?!
Life Lab Garden Classroom
Monterey Bay Aquarium
O’Neill Sea Odyssey
RCD Watershed Cruzin’ Teacher Programs
Safe Routes to Schools Program
Santa Cruz City Public Works
Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Santa Cruz Outdoor Science School
Save-Our Shores • Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Soquel Creek Water District
Waste Free Schools
Watsonville Wetlands Watch (WATCH)
Wetlands Education Resource Center (WERC)

Thank you to Karen Lemon for the photographs!