Coalition for Conservation & Environmental Education

The "North Dakota Environmental Education Strategic State Plan" is a collective product developed in response to the need of preparing stewards of all ages with skills to evaluate issues; act responsibly to take corrective steps; and maintain a sustainable and quality environment for present and future generations.

The document outlines the needs and opportunities for a collaborative statewide environmental educational effort. Environmental education (EE) is the umbrella term used which encompasses all natural resource conservation education, waste education, global education and other environmental education activities.

The plan also provides inspiration and a means of measuring progress towards common goals. It encourages efforts by stake-holders to be mutually supportive and complementary of each other, rather than duplicative and competitive.

To be effective, any plan must be visionary enough to provide a strong foundation, but also flexible enough to change over time as circumstances change and opportunities arise. This plan is a "living document" and will be used:

• To define a vision for environmental education in North Dakota.

• To facilitate interaction, cooperation and communication among numerous schools, agencies and organizations.
• To maximize the effectiveness of human and material environmental education resources.
• To alert more North Dakotans to the importance of EE in the state, and to encourage their involvement.