Meeting Notes: November 12, 2009
Genevieve Lung
Koy Coffer, Meeting Facilitator, Texas Wildlife Association
Janice Sturrock, Austin Nature & Science Center
Steve Amos, 4empowerment.com
Hayden Brooks, Westcave Preserve
Dr. Joe Frost, UT
Jessica Wilson, Camp Fire USA
Nancy Herron, TPWD Outdoor Learning
Ann Miller, TPWD Aquatic Education
Kiki Corry, TPWD Project WILD
Genevieve Lung, TPWD Outdoor Learning
Karen Marks, TPWD Outdoor Learning
Kris Shipman, TPWD, Coastal Fisheries
Lauren Christian, WIC, Dept. of State Health Services
Kelly Ledford, LBJ Wildflower Center
Tim Schumann, US Fish & Wildlife
Wade Harrell, USFish & Wildlife
Jan Fulkerson, Texas Forest Service
Sandra Taylor, Texas Forest Service
Carolyn Smyrl, Texas Education Agency
Cori Stennett, Campfire USA
Joe Lapp, Outdoor Spider Education Program
Glenda Beasley, TPWD, Marketing
Ernie Gammage, TPWD, Urban Outdoor Programs
Bonnie Cook, Austin Nature Center
John Spence, Texas Center for Service Learning
Janice Godwin, Special Audiences Mktg.
Charles Lee, Nature Rocks
Elizabeth von Halem, Nature Rocks
Agenda Items: Texas Partnership for Children in Nature update, AISD &
Green Ribbon Schools, Nominations for Natural Leaders Network,
Presence at Upcoming Events: What are our needs?, CINC Website,
Metrics for Green Ribbon Schools/Communities, Updates: Family Nature
Clubs, Opportunities for upcoming events: FamilyConnections
Texas Partnership for Children in Nature-update
Nancy gave update stating that a planning meeting was held to discuss
first steps. The Texas partnership will include four state agencies
plus several partners. The goal is to come up with a plan to get kids
to play outdoors and have a clear understanding of the natural
resources around them by Fall 2010. Steering Committee members are
being selected now.
AISD and Green Ribbon Schools
Kelly gave an update on AISD and Green Ribbon Schools. AISD has
created a resource sub committee. The resource committee is made up
of Administrators of AISD and outside partners. The intention is to
recommend a structure for Green Schools, curriculum connections and to
provide a resource list for teachers. The Green School certification
is still in the planning stage. The goal is to make everything
relevant to Texas. Kelly suggested to David Guffy, AISD Science
Curriculum Specialist, to use the AISD as a pilot for Green Ribbon
Schools. Mr. Guffy is open to discussing this and believes that both
AISD and Green Ribbon Schools have very similar ideas and goals.
Nominations for Natural Leaders Network
Question: What is Natural Leaders?
Answer: Natural Leaders is the national network for Children & Nature
Network. They meet once a year. A link with information on Natural
Leaders and who and how to nominate someone for Natural Leaders will
be sent out. Nominees may be students or young professionals.
Nominations may be sent directly to Juan Martinez with C&NN or to Koy.
Presence at Upcoming Events: How do we market the program? What are
our needs?
How do we get the word out? Suggestions: table runners, button pins
with “ask me about Children in Nature” on them, banners, large table
tents
Use the suggested tools to make a “showing” at functions such as
CAST. Koy suggested getting a smaller group together to discuss
marketing, target audiences, and what exactly we are
promoting….Natural Leaders, Green Ribbon Schools, Children in Nature.
A subcommittee will discuss; follow up at December meeting.
Volunteers for the “Marketing Team”: Koy, Karen, Kris, Nancy, Steve,
Linda, Tim, Kiki
Children in Nature Website
Elizabeth von Halem and Charles Lee from Nature Rocks presented the
updated and latest version of the Nature Rocks website. Strategic
planning identified a need for the website. Since there were so many
groups involved with Nature Rocks, it was decided that a master
calendar and master database for the groups to share information
needed to be put into place. While beginning the process, it was
discovered that there were many more interested groups wanting to be
or already involved and wanting to be included in the Children in
Nature movement. Nature Rocks has allowed us to duplicate/replicate
their website to suit the needs of our region or state.
Elizabeth explained the Nature Rocks website:
All partners are listed on the website. She passed out a handout with
instructions of how to add your group to the Nature Rocks website.
She explained that there was a link on the website to the Nature Rocks
Facebook page. Elizabeth demonstrated navigation, resources and other
helpful information pertaining to the Nature Rocks website.
Partner page-you will need a username and password. Elizabeth will
personally come to a requesting partner and will provide the username
and password and help with the set up of the partner on the website.
Nature Rocks has the feature of localizing the website pertaining to
your region or state. Example: main page – www.naturerocks.org,
localized websites may be like – www.naturerocksaustin.org, or
www.naturerockstexas.org.
On the partner page, there is a social networking area where ideas and
thoughts can be shared. It views as a blog or email. This area is
for partners only and is in the skeleton phase right now. Will be
created with nature pics and a more inviting uniform format.
There is a feature that is set up that will send out emails to
contacts you choose to let them know when an event is happening
that they might be interested in or if literature is posted that might
be of interest to your contact. The template is in place; partners
can take the template and create their own site.
There is no charge for partners to be listed on the calendar events
site. There is, however, a charge for partners to use the template
and create their own website. This is referred to as a “hosting
cost.”
Suggested: “Leave No Trace” should be posted on the website because
the goal is to encourage more people to get outside and the impact on
nature should and will increase. This should be placed on the site as
a reminder to “leave no trace”.
Suggested: The website should have regional safety information. For
example, on the NaturerocksTexas.org site you might put “Watch out for
poison ivey”.
The goal is to have regional collaboratives join this web site. This
may be a model for a national site, Hayden said.
Metrics for Green Ribbon Schools/Communities
Koy had attendees divide into the four metrics groups. The goal was
to come up with different ways to measure the progress of the schools;
criteria must be across the board so we have to make sure that all
schools have the same resources available to achieve the objectives of
the Green Ribbon School’s criteria. If one school doesn’t have the
resources, that metric cannot be one of the measurable criteria.
Suggestion: Provide a “comfort” survey for students at the beginning
of the school year to find the percentage of comfort zones for each
familiarity.
By Thanksgiving, each groups representative will send Nancy Herron an
email with their “measurement” ideas.
The four groups:
Healthy and Environmentally friendly schools
Health and Nutrition
Nature Play
Nature Education
Next Meeting: Thursday, December 10, 2009 from 1pm-4pm @
TEA (Texas Education Agency)
1701 Congress Avenue
Discussion: discuss – “get outside”
Austin Nature Days