We are excited to announce that the Grand Traverse Conservation District recently received a grant from Rotary Charities of Traverse City. The funding will support "Nature Education for Students and Teachers" (NEST) here at the Boardman River Nature Center. This program will help us address the needs identified by local teachers: engaging nature education programs for K-12 students that connect children to the natural world, meet state content expectations and increase academic achievement - all for a reasonable price. 12 new NEST education programs will be developed over the next few years. An associated volunteer training program will also be developed, as well as registration and scheduling procedures, marketing materials and an evaluation process.
All of us at the GTCD are grateful for this generous gift from Rotary Charities. We are working hard to continue to improve all our program areas which requires a great deal of charitable support from many sources, including friends like you!
Children spend half as much time outside as they did 20 years ago, and research shows that this lack of connection with the natural world leads to a lack of commitment to natural resource stewardship. It is imperative to provide opportunities for the next generation to gain the knowledge, skills and connection they need to make wise stewardship decisions, leading to a healthy and sustainable environment in the Grand Traverse region.
We are excited about continuing to nurture the next generation's connection to nature and what it will mean to our community.