CONFERENCES
Facilitating the advancement of wildlife conservation and environmental education in our local, state, and global communities requires support, partners, and a strong network of passionate, like-minded peers. Opportunities to share and gain knowledge with these peers lend themselves to enlightening and inspiring meetings. The respective communities that we serve benefit from our partnerships as equally as we benefit from them.
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ANJEE Fall Conference
The 6th Annual Fall Conference was fully outside and fully enjoyable. Formal and informal science educators alike were immersed in programs from holistic gardening to insect appreciation to tying local government to environmental issues.
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It is of the utmost importance that SOAR and similar organizations are available to provide vital informal education opportunities that are not bound by the physical parameters of a classroom. Providing tools to schools for expanding students' horizons benefits all grade levels and allows teachers creative flexibility for making science accessible and fun.
Bergen County Audubon Society
SOAR Founder and CEO, Lillian Lugo, was the guest speaker at the monthly BCAS virtual presentation on February 14, 2023 beginning at 7:30 pm. Speaking about the Urban Tree Canopy/Urban Forest, Ms. Lugo highlighted the connections between the urban forest and social equity.
The key elements of the urban forest - trees; biodiversity; soil, roots, and understory; stewardship; and policy - are often overlooked as to their equitable availability in high-density, urban environments. This challenge lends itself to a continued cycle of inequity and a dearth of environmental identity in the citizens of these areas. Providing formal and informal educational opportunities to students of all ages will aid them in identifying their roles in understanding and advocating for the sustainability of a healthy urban forest in their communities.
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Points of discussion were addressed of a given city's need to engage in "reverse fragmentation" where an increase in habitats promoting local biodiversity is encouraged by city residents and the local governments charged with ensuring green spaces that promote public health and a healthy, well-balanced ecosystem.