00A00929

Description:
This project provides funding to Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) to implement its project, which will design, demonstrate, and disseminate environmental education practices, methods, and techniques, that will serve to increase environmental literacy and encourage behavior that will benefit the environment across Maine in communities with Title 1 schools. The grantee will do this by utilizing GMRI's expertise partnering with middle school teachers and students in place-based, citizen science investigations of Maine's ecosystems. Partner organizations bring expertise regarding science and stewardship in forested and aquatic ecosystems. The project will support 8 middle schools from a range of communities reaching approximately 800-1200 students from across Maine to engage those schools with schools across New England in related hemlock investigations and monitoring efforts.

Activities:
This project will increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues across Maine and provide students, teachers, and community members the skills necessary to make informed decisions and to take responsible actions. Activities to be performed during this project period include:
- Build student understanding of ecosystem complexity and the implications of that complexity for understanding and stewarding local forests and waterways and managing invasive species.
- Connect participating students, teachers, and scientists and resource managers as they collaborate to monitor and steward forest and aquatic ecosystem health in Maine and across New England.
- Develop student and teacher knowledge about the work of scientists and resource managers.
- Move students from environmental monitors to stewards and community leaders as they participate in and engage their communities in stewardship opportunities.

Subrecipient:
The sub-grant program will enable Gulf of Maine Research Institute to give eight subawards to school districts from across Maine's Title 1 schools to support the work by providing vital services, expertise, and a framework to make this project on long-term forest and water quality awareness successful and sustainable.

Outcomes:
It is anticipated that this project will result in the following deliverables:
- Approximately 800-1200 students have experiences that span the environmental education continuum, from building understanding through to designing and participating in environmental stewardship actions that extend to include participation and education of the larger community.
- Participating students have an increased understanding of the work of scientists, resource managers, and conservation professionals.
- Participating students have an increased understanding of the work of scientists, resource managers, and conservation professionals.

Gulf Of Maine Research Institute

66.951 - Environmental Education Grants

EPA Region 1: Boston [EPA - RO]

Maine United States

State-Wide

None

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have decreased 42% from $226,923 to $130,923.