Rural Action’s Environmental Education program connects students and teachers in Appalachian Ohio with outdoor learning opportunities in a variety of settings. We strive to encourage a sense of place among youth in the region, giving them the tools to steward the land to which they belong. The program introduces youth to academic and professional paths related to natural resources. The program offers the following services:
- Environmental education workshops and resources for teachers
- Outdoor programs for schools, libraries, community events, etc.
- Internships and Volunteer Opportunities
- Workshops such as Project WILD, Project WET, Project Learning Tree
- Citizen monitoring opportunities
Appalachian Green Teachers Project
Rural Action is currently sourcing funds to implement this project, which will take place during the 2011-12 school year and beyond. Learn More
Summer Watershed Day Camps
Each summer, Rural Action works with Sunday Creek Watershed Group and Monday Creek Restoration project to put on two weeks of watershed day camps. Learn More
Citizen + Student Science Monitoring
We are partnering with the Ohio Lepidopterists Society and Ohio Department of Natural Resources to set up a butterfly monitoring transect at Trimble Township Community Forest. Learn More
Links + Resources
Check out our list of great environmental education and natural history resources for teachers and students alike. View Now
What We’ve Been Up To
Tomcats Monitor Vernal Pools by Joe Brehm, published in EECO News Summer Issue
Environmental Education Staff
Joe Brehm, Environmental Education Program Coordinator. My obsession with the outdoors started when my dad took my brothers and me for walks through the woods near my childhood home near Zanesville when we were old enough to walk. We tracked deer, raccoons, foxes, and learned to be comfortable outside.
My first formal study of the natural world began with a butterfly monitoring project, where I learned just how many different kinds of wildflowers, insects, and trees Ohio harbors. I have spent countless hours since then studying and exploring wilderness areas both large and small. While hiking or walking virtually anywhere, I make frequent and abrupt stops to inspect animal tracks, scat, birds, vernal pools, etc.
I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Montana, and went on to earn my Master’s of Science in Environmental Studies at Ohio University. I have coordinated Rural Action’s long-standing Environmental Education program since May of 2010 and thoroughly enjoy sharing my passion for the natural world with others. We strive to connect students, teachers, and community members with outdoor classrooms in the region and the hands-on learning opportunities they offer.