Action 10: Increase Environmental Literacy and Engagement to Support Ecosystems
   

Career-connected, outdoor learning opportunities that are accessible to all communities in Washington, including girls, low-income youth and youth of color, are critical to the state’s future. At present, DNR recognizes a need to support the creation or extension of educational programs with an equity lens so that a broad range of people see themselves as the next generation of natural resource stewards and consider careers in this field. Ensuring that outdoor education programs in WRIA 7 are available to support salmon recovery as well as expanded opportunities for girls, youth of color, and other communities will yield multiple benefits for people and salmon.
 
Outcome 22: Provide outdoor education and career-connected learning opportunities that reach at least 6,000 K-8 and high school students with a focus on girls and youth of color by 2031.
Outcome 23: Support 500 people to complete a natural resources apprenticeship/training program by 2031.
 

0-3 Year Actions

 

Action 10.1 Outdoor Education and Training 

Partner with School’s Out Washington to identify opportunities for outdoor education and training using DNR resources that align with salmon recovery and DNR equity and environmental justice goals. Identify priority actions and partnerships in WRIA 7 for outdoor education.

Action 10.2 Ecosystem Health Education 

Establish education-focused partnerships related to monitoring and learning about ecosystem health. Partnership opportunities include Acidification Nearshore Monitoring Network (ANeMoNe) station and related water-quality curriculum, educational partnerships related to Kelp and Eelgrass Protection Zone, potentially including local schools.

Action 10.3 Outdoor Education and Training Program Manager

Hire an Outdoor Education and Training Program Manager to partner with nonprofits and schools in the WRIA 7 watershed. Identify appropriate partners such as Tribes or community organizations.

Action 10.4 Outdoor Educationand Training Program

Establish a robust, statewide outdoor education and training program at DNR. Maintain salmon recovery and watershed resilience objectives as key components of the curriculum.

Action 10.5 Training and Pre-Apprenticeship Programs

Develop a formal partnership to expand training programs and establish new pre/apprenticeship programming to train workers for restoration, forestry and natural resource careers. Work with partners including unions, restoration industry companies, community colleges and others to identify the most pressing needs for natural resource training and apprenticeships that will support related workforce and environmental justice goals.

4-10 Year Actions

Action 10.5 Training and Pre-Apprenticeship Programs II

Work collaboratively to deliver new training and apprenticeship program opportunities to at least 500 program graduates by
2031.

Action 10.6 Ecological Learning Lab II

Share lessons learned from Ecological Learning Lab and related research related to Kelp and Eelgrass Protection Zone (described in Action 1) to provide education and environmental literacy related to submerged aquatic vegetation, salmon habitat and leading-edge restoration research. Reach at least 6,000 K–8 and high school students by 2031, with a focus on girls and youth of color.