ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ALLIANCE
advancing nature experiences, outdoor learning, and environmental ed for every GA child
EEA's Vision
"Every Georgia child can grow up as a problem-solver who is connected to nature,
knowledgeable about the environment, motivated to protect the earth, empowered to create a sustainable future."
knowledgeable about the environment, motivated to protect the earth, empowered to create a sustainable future."
What We Do
EEA supports, amplifies, and champions educators who leverage the power of environmental and outdoor learning so students can be engaged in meaningful learning experiences that include opportunities to solve real-world environmental challenges.
Theory of Change
Motivation to protect the planet arises from exploring and enjoying nature: something every Georgia child deserves to experience. Becoming empowered to care for the earth requires not only nature connection and environmental literacy, but also authentic problem-solving experiences that foster confidence in the ability to make a difference.
GOAL #1 : High Quality Education
To drive excellence and spark innovation in the field; translate research into best practices; share exemplary models, methods, and materials; support and build capacity of educators to engage children in problem-solving. |
GOAL #2: Advancing the Field
To demonstrate the collective impact of environmental and outdoor education; foster collaboration; mobilize investment in outdoor learning spaces, professional development, student supplies, and access to nature experiences. |
GOAL #3: Access to Nature
To ensure that every Georgia child has access to nature and is included and engaged in relevant, place-based foundational outdoor experiences that result in curiosity, affinity and appreciation for the natural world. |
EEA's Conference March 26-28, 2026
at Georgia Tech in Atlanta
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Join us!
We hope to see you at the state's preeminent professional learning event in the fields of Environmental and Outdoor Education, Community Science, and 3-Dimensional K-12 Learning. Come to learn about trends and best practices in exciting programs, presentations and workshops. Stay for the networking and social events where connections and partnerships are forged. We look forward to seeing you this month! Sponsors Welcome
We are grateful to conference sponsors for their contributions, which enable EEA to keep registration rates low. Please consider sponsoring the Conference this year. 
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The Latest . . .
3-Year GOLD Grant Report
(use arrows to page through the report
or click square at bottom right to enlarge view)
or click square at bottom right to enlarge view)
EEA eNews February 2026
click to open
SB 148 - the Outdoor Learning Spaces Pilot Program
Passes Unanimously
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Congratulations to Senator Sheikh Rahman, Senator Bo Hatchett, and Representative Soo Hong, sponsors of SB 148: the Outdoor Learning Spaces Pilot Program. The bill passed with unanimous support (per LegisScan: "slightly partisan Republican 2:1"). EEA is grateful to every legislator for their support of outdoor learning.
Starting in fall of 2026, the act will fund 3-year projects that are designed to assess the use and value of schoolyards as outdoor learning labs. In addition, it supports hunter safety education, defibrillators in schools, and an increase to 5 personal leave days for Georgia teachers. |
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"(a) The Department of Education is authorized to establish a pilot program, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, to provide for the development and study of outdoor learning spaces on elementary and secondary school property. The purpose of the pilot program shall be to determine whether and how to implement best practices and design standards for outdoor learning spaces.
(b) The Department of Education is authorized to select elementary or secondary schools with sufficient existing or potential outdoor learning spaces for participation in the pilot program as pilot schools. Private, nonprofit, and local school system funding may be utilized by such pilot schools for community engagement, school grounds design support, and capital construction costs. The local board of education for each pilot school shall agree to implement a program to incorporate outdoor learning spaces into the existing curriculum and to continue to provide such program for a period no shorter than three years.
(c) The Department of Education shall provide for an evaluation regarding the success and impact of the pilot program upon completion of the third year of the pilot program and shall report the results of such evaluation to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Education and Youth Committee."
(b) The Department of Education is authorized to select elementary or secondary schools with sufficient existing or potential outdoor learning spaces for participation in the pilot program as pilot schools. Private, nonprofit, and local school system funding may be utilized by such pilot schools for community engagement, school grounds design support, and capital construction costs. The local board of education for each pilot school shall agree to implement a program to incorporate outdoor learning spaces into the existing curriculum and to continue to provide such program for a period no shorter than three years.
(c) The Department of Education shall provide for an evaluation regarding the success and impact of the pilot program upon completion of the third year of the pilot program and shall report the results of such evaluation to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Education and Youth Committee."
Georgia Schoolyard Forest Network
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What can kids learn in a schoolyard forest?
Join the Georgia Schoolyard Forest Network by inventorying and planting trees on your school campus. Look for sessions about schoolyard forests at the EEA Conference, and learn how to plant trees, care for and expand a schoolyard forest, and engage students in outdoor learning through real-world investigations and problem-solving. Join the free CoOL Schoolyards recognition program, where ee providers offer outdoor learning challenges and schools earn points for participating.
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Winter Workshops and Webinars
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Sign up now for these FREE Winter Virtual Workshops on Outdoor Learning!
These are each 60 mins, and include access to the recording & a certificate of attendance. Jan 13: Seeing Ourselves in Nature: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Outdoor Learning Jan 20: Winter Wildlife Activities for All Ages Feb 10: Supporting Youth in Learning from the Land Feb 24: Getting Yourself Outdoor Learning Certified! Mar 3: Mentorship in the Wild: Leadership, Adventure & Wonder |
Early bird rates end Sunday, December 14 for these Winter Courses from the Outdoor Learning School …
Includes 4 live sessions, access to the recording & a certificate of attendance. Starting Jan 19: Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: A Course for Educators Starting Feb 2: Indigenous Storytelling Course Starting Feb 2: Inclusive Nature-Based Mindfulness for Educators |
EEA's Greensleeves Virtual Book Club
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Eager: The Surprising Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb
In Eager, environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb reveals that our modern idea of what a healthy landscape looks like and how it functions is wrong, distorted by the fur trade that once trapped out millions of beavers from North America’s lakes and rivers. The consequences of losing beavers were profound: streams eroded, wetlands dried up, and species from salmon to swans lost vital habitat. Today, a growing coalition of “Beaver Believers”—including scientists, ranchers, and passionate citizens—recognizes that ecosystems with beavers are far healthier, for humans and non-humans alike, than those without them. Join us on April 30, 2026 at 7:00 pm / All are welcome! |
RECENT EEA EVENTS
Thank you for coming to the Outdoor Learning Symposium!
120 educators attended this event at Fernbank Science Center.
Thank you to all the presenters, sponsors, and host for making the event such a success.
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Thanks to host Fernbank Science Center and sponsors Acorn Naturalists and The Outdoor Learning School and Store!
40 people participated in EEA Workshops to learn
how to Create and Teach in Rain Gardens on October 25th
Many thanks to Cobb Water System / Watershed Stewardship Division and West Atlanta Watershed Alliance for hosting EEA's recent Rain Garden Workshops. We are grateful to American Geosciences Institute and presenters Lauren Brase and Lindsay Mossa, whose engaging sessions taught educators and community leaders how to create and teach in rain gardens.
Schoolyard Forest Design LecturesLearn about all aspects of schoolyard forests, from planning and design to tree selection, planting, maintenance, stormwater infrastructure, and mitigating the effects of climate change. This free lecture series is presented by Green Schoolyards America.
Schoolyard Forest Community of Practice
Third Thursdays at 2:00pm ET this Fall
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 Photo by Nancy Sinistre
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CoOL Schoolyards ~
Registration for 2025-26 is OPEN!
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CoOL Schoolyards is a tiered recognition program that awards points to schools for their efforts to engage students in outdoor learning. CoOL Schoolyards also connects ee providers with schools, and provides project models for engaging students in high-quality outdoor learning experiences.
Schools can earn credit for taking students outside to learn or connect with nature, to plant trees that create shade and provide habitat, or to solve environmental problems on campus - and then watch the Leaderboard to see their points (and recognition level) soar. Non-profits and public agencies can propose free or inexpensive Challenges that demonstrate best practices in outdoor learning including activities, field trips, and environmental stewardship projects. Accepted Challenges will be assigned points for school recognition levels. |
2024-25 Honorees
Congratulations to The Outdoor Learning School / Learning Tree Academy, Cleveland Road Elementary, Free Home Elementary, Double Churches M S,
Clark Creek STEM Academy, and Bill Arp Elementary
2024-25 CoOL Schoolyard of the Year: Dr. G.W. Carver Elementary School
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Keri Wilcher and Jerry Hightower
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EEA's Summer Professional Learning Institute
for K-12 Teachers on Jekyll Island
CREST Summer Institute ~ a Tree-mendous Group of Educators who Teach Outdoors!
EEA's first weeklong Summer Institute: CREST, engaged 50 of the state's brightest and best teachers and district science coordinators in exploring the "Ghost Forest" of Jekyll Island, calculating the carbon captured by trees, investigating forest ecosystems, using apps to identify tree species, and planning an arboretum of native trees for the schoolyard. In addition, participants engineered devices to separate microplastics from sand and water, investigated how trees hyperaccumulate nano-plastics from the soil and air, and compared temperatures of different surfaces in the sun and in the shade to learn more about the urban heat island effect. The theme of the week was using trees to integrate outdoor learning with 3-Dimensional Science for all grade levels. Many thanks to the R. Howard Dobbs Jr. Foundation for funding this professional learning event.
EEA's first weeklong Summer Institute: CREST, engaged 50 of the state's brightest and best teachers and district science coordinators in exploring the "Ghost Forest" of Jekyll Island, calculating the carbon captured by trees, investigating forest ecosystems, using apps to identify tree species, and planning an arboretum of native trees for the schoolyard. In addition, participants engineered devices to separate microplastics from sand and water, investigated how trees hyperaccumulate nano-plastics from the soil and air, and compared temperatures of different surfaces in the sun and in the shade to learn more about the urban heat island effect. The theme of the week was using trees to integrate outdoor learning with 3-Dimensional Science for all grade levels. Many thanks to the R. Howard Dobbs Jr. Foundation for funding this professional learning event.
2025-26 Georgia Outdoor Learning Demonstration (GOLD) Grants
The 2025-26 GOLD Grant application review process has been completed. 197 applications were received. The State Board of Education awarded 14 grants to the top-ranked proposal in each part of the state (BOE district); then 8 more grants were awarded to the top-ranked remaining proposals state-wide. Awards were announced in November and funds are available for projects to take place in Spring 2026. $100,000 was allocated by the Georgia General Assembly for GOLD Grants, which enjoy bipartisan support.
Congrats to the 2025-26 GOLD Grantees!
2024-25 Winners of GOLD Grants
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154 Applications received and reviewed 23 Grantees announced: Nov 2024 Funds available: Dec 2024 (drawdown on reimbursement basis) Project completion deadline: June 30, 2025 Eligible applicants: public schools, school districts, public agencies, non-profit organizations, or beneficiaries must be GA public school students Eligible activities: professional learning for educators, schoolyard improvements, supplies for outdoor learning, and/or field trips Grant amounts: $500 - $5000 per grant; at least 18 grants to be awarded |
EEA PROGRAMS
EEA Signature Programs
EEA operates these signature programs to promote excellence and collective impact in environmental and outdoor learning.
CoOL hosts an annual Outdoor Learning Symposium, manages the Outdoor Learning Collaboratory to identify best practices in design and use of outdoor learning spaces, created the Outdoor Learning Toolkit, manages the Georgia Schoolyard Forest Network, advocates for outdoor education to engage all children in nature experiences, field investigations, problem-solving and stewardship. |
MAG offers educator workshops using the Monarchs, Milkweed and More curriculum, hosts a biennial Pollinator Symposium, teaches land managers, garden clubs and schools how to restore native habitat, certifies pollinator habitats that demonstrate best practices, manages the annual Symbolic Migration as part of Journey North, and provides pollinator habitat grants. |
ATEEG is a nationally-accredited certification program for pK-12 teachers, professors, and non-formal environmental educators. It consists of three core courses and an independent project. Each core course is offered in a hybrid format that includes an in-person workshop, self-paced modules, and interactive webinars. Georgia and out-of-state candidates welcome. |
EEA Partner Programs
EEA supports these environmental and outdoor learning programs, providing fiscal sponsorship and tax-exempt status.
Georgia Project WET is a water education program that envisions a world in which action-oriented education enables every child to understand and value water, ensuring a sustainable future. Project WET promotes awareness, knowledge, and stewardship of water resources by creating and distributing teaching materials and conducting educators workshops. |
Rivers Alive is Georgia's volunteer waterway cleanup program. It aims to keep all watersheds within the state trash-free and encourages volunteers to target streams, rivers, lakes, beaches, and wetlands to help to protect our waterways. The mission of Rivers Alive is to create awareness of and involvement in the preservation of Georgia's water resources. |
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream (AAS) is the state's volunteer water quality monitoring program. Since 1993, the program has engaged citizen scientists all across Georgia and beyond in water protection activities, through a series of educational workshops which train individuals on the physical, chemical and biological health of their waterways. |
EEA Initiatives
EEA is focused on projects and programs that meet needs identified in the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan.
EE Landscape Analysis The EE Landscape Analysis was designed to find out more about environmental education (EE) in the southeast. EEA surveyed outdoor learning and EE providers and schools in Georgia. In partnership with seven other regional states, the data was analyzed and used to create maps and a suite of planning tools. The findings of this survey reveal strengths and needs throughout our state, and help prioritize action items of the eeCEO Roundtable. |
Outdoor Learning Collaboratory EEA is asking educators, property managers, and landscape architects to share their expertise and ideas about best practices in outdoor learning... from designing and creating spaces to fostering student-directed learning, and sustaining programs long-term. Our goal is to develop best practices and case studies in partnership with the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education. |
Inclusive & Equitable Teaching Practices EEA's vision is for environmental education and outdoor learning to benefit every child in Georgia. To address gaps in access, EEA spotlights effective models, advances equitable instructional strategies, offers professional learning workshops and courses to increase capacity, and partners with organizations that have demonstrated success in culturally-competent teaching. |
Guidelines for Excellence Institute As Georgia's designated 'Guidelines for Excellence in EE Institute', EEA is authorized to offer Guidelines for Excellence courses developed by the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education. These Guidelines set the standards for high-quality environmental education and reflect best practices. Each guide was drafted by a diverse team and reviewed nationwide. |
EEA Curated Teaching Collections
Celebrate outdoors and explore free teaching resources!
Click the pics to access the collections.
Click the pics to access the collections.
WILDLIFE VIEWING & ACTIVITIES
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GARDEN-BASED LEARNING
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CLIMATE CHANGE LESSONS
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DISPROPORTIONATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
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COMMUNITY (CITIZEN) SCIENCE
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ECO-ENGINEERING CHALLENGES
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EARTH MONTH ACTIVITIES
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PBLs
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ENVIRONMENTAL ED
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ENVIRONMENTAL CLUBS
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ZERO WASTE HERO
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EEA Resources
EEA invites members and partners to take advantage of these opportunities and services.
EE Database EEA manages the EEinGeorgia website as a resource database for job listings, grant opportunities, contests, awards, lessons, and profiles of schools and environmental education providers. |
Memorial Forest The EEA Memorial Forest provides a way to commemorate loved ones who have contributed to the field of environmental education by planting trees in their memory around the state. |
GreenSleeves EEA's virtual book club offers members a chance to discuss books and share ideas or reflections with each other. We are fortunate to have authors join us from time to time. |
Outdoor Learning Store EEA has partnered with the Outdoor Learning Store to provide a non-profit source of teaching supplies. A percentage of sales from Georgia goes to EEA. Enter code eea22$%! for 5% off. |
Funding for Environmental Education and Outdoor Learning
EEA offers these grant opportunities whenever funds are available.
Dragonfly GrantsEEA's Dragonfly Grants inspire innovation by encouraging environmental educators to integrate performing and visual arts with learning experiences. |
Pollinator Habitat Grants
EEA's Monarchs Across Georgia (MAG) Pollinator Habitat Grants encourage the creation or enhancement of native habitat for endangered monarch butterflies. |
CoOL GrantsEEA's Council of Outdoor Learning offers grants to support schoolyard improvements, student supplies, professional learning, and/or field trips, whenever funds are available. |
Outdoor Learning for All
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Pandemic Considerations
Click to read EEA's statement on ways that outdoor learning can contribute to safety and enable effective hands-on investigations during the pandemic and its aftermath. |
Outdoor Learning Toolkit
EEA's CoOL Toolkit for Outdoor Learning is a quick-start guide to creating outdoor learning spaces, managing students, and teaching outside classroom walls. |
Overcoming Obstacles
Tips and Techniques for Outdoor Learning was designed to help educators overcome challenges to outdoor learning. Many thanks to Jerry Hightower and Petey Giroux. |
Making the Case
To provide evidence for outdoor learning, consider this research on academic gains, improved physical and mental health, and increased "agency" or ability to make a difference. |
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EE Landscape Analysis
PUT YOUR SCHOOL or ORGANIZATION ON THE EE MAP
Please complete the survey today!
It's baaaaack! Please take the survey for the first time or update your previous response by clicking a button below
Does environmental and outdoor learning happen at your school? Tell us in this survey!
Every educator and administrator is invited to complete the survey - not just one per school or organization.
EE Landscape Analysis - Tools and Results from the First Survey
The EE Landscape Analysis was designed to learn more about providers of environmental education (EE) in the southeast. As part of this effort, EEA surveyed outdoor learning and EE providers in Georgia. In partnership with seven other regional states, the data was then analyzed and used to create maps and a suite of planning tools for schools, EE providers, and communities. Click the images below to try out the interactive maps and tools.
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We're rallying to raise support for expanding environmental and outdoor learning to every Georgia child. Your donation, in any amount, will be valued and appreciated. Please help EEA continue to provide professional learning events and courses for educators, offer free vetted teaching resources, advocate for funding, encourage collaboration, and foster excellence in the field of environmental and outdoor learning.
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Special Membership Offer
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For the cost of a cup of coffee, you can be a member of EEA. Pay as little as $3/month or $30/year in dues at the regular rate. EEA has a limited-time offer to JOIN or RENEW at the lower Nymph rate of $20. If you need a year of FREE MEMBERSHIP, email your request for the discount code to [email protected]. You can catch up next year, when times are better. Until then, enjoy this opportunity to meet people, strengthen skills, and keep up with emerging trends and issues. And, if you do have funds to spare, feel free to click the GIVE button below to contribute to our Membership Fund, so we can continue to offer this special deal.
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EEA Platinum Sponsors
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Waterfall Foundation Little Otter
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Jill's Butterfly Garden Workshop
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EEA is the official Georgia affiliate of NAAEE and SEEA
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Environmental Education Alliance, Inc.
P.O. Box 801066 | Acworth, GA 30101 EEA does not does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in its program , activities, or employment. For more information on EEA's non-discrimination commitment click here . Grievance officer may be contacted at [email protected] |