Conservation Education = Conservation and Careers: The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' Conservation Education Strategy

Since 2005, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies has worked to develop and implement the North American Conservation Education Strategy.  The Strategy includes research-based tools to support state fish and wildlife agency Conservation Education efforts, particularly in K-12 formal education.  Tools include a set of core conservation concepts developed by state fish and wildlife agency biologists and conservation educators, as well as Field Investigations: Using Outdoor Environments to Foster Student Learning of Scientific Processes (Field Investigations Guide), K-12 Conservation Education Scope and Sequence: an Educator’s Guide to Sequential Learning about Fish and Wildlife, and Stewardship Education Best Practices Planning Guide. The Field Investigations guide exposes teachers and their students to the science fish and wildlife agencies and biologists use in their work.  The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation used Field Investigations in their new Explore the Blue curriculum. 

This presentation will provide a brief overview of the Conservation Education Strategy and highlight ways in which the Field Investigations Guide can be used to teach about watersheds, as well as familiarize students with the work of fisheries biologists.