The University of Illinois Extension has been recognized nationally for its commitment to providing environmental education through its Everyday Environment webinar series. The series, which began in 2020, offers virtual opportunities for people to learn about important environmental topics. Recently, the team behind the series received the Gold Award for Outstanding Educational Materials in the Televised Conference/Video Conference/Webinar category from the Association of Natural Resources Extension Professionals.
The team at the University of Illinois Extension noticed the need for accessible environmental education and decided to start the Everyday Environment webinar series. They wanted to address important environmental issues and help people understand how to take care of natural resources. Now, in 2023, their efforts have been rewarded with this prestigious award from ANREP, an organization that recognizes exceptional materials and programs in the field of natural resources.
Erin Garrett, a Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy educator, reflects on the team's journey, saying, "We started the Everyday Environment webinar series during the pandemic shutdown in 2020, and it's amazing to see how far we've come since then."
The main goal of the webinar series is to teach people about environmental topics and encourage them to make a positive impact on their surroundings. The series covers a variety of subjects, such as cover crops, climate change, prescribed burning basics, and the return of large predators in Illinois.
The team behind the award-winning series includes Erin Garrett, Abigail Garofalo, Rachel Curry, Peggy Doty, Michelle Berg, Jay Solomon, Duane Friend, Kevin Rohling, and Amy Lefringhouse. They have been supported by other specialists from Illinois Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant who have contributed their expertise to the project.
The Everyday Environment webinar series empowers participants with knowledge and inspiration to protect the environment for future generations.
If you're interested in joining the Everyday Environment initiative and attending future webinars.
Photo Credit: pexels-nataliya-vaitkevich
Categories: Illinois, Education, Sustainable Agriculture