by Stephen Allen, Communications Manager of Pend Oreille Conservation District

Buried in the heart of Pend Oreille County and built by the Kalispel Tribe is a beautiful space for outdoor learning, hiking, growing nursery plants as well as learning tribal culture. Indian Creek Community Forest has become more than just a beautiful place to explore it’s a living classroom where students, educators, and families come together to experience conservation firsthand. In partnership with the Kalispel Tribe, the Pend Oreille Conservation District has created several youth-focused programs centered around this space which we hope will shape the next generation of land stewards in so many meaningful ways.

by Jule Schultz, Waterkeeper with Spokane Riverkeeper 

Recently our community science program has had some big wins. In 2025 the Spokane River was listed as polluted based on our data providing a policy to support the restoration work local organizations, including ours, are doing in the basin. 

The education strategy behind the Kicking Gas campaign is rooted in a simple truth: people deserve to understand how energy shapes their everyday lives and how they can shape energy systems in return. At its core, the campaign sees education not as top-down instruction, but as collective sense-making. Whether it’s rising bills, an underperforming heater, or the invisible risks of methane gas, Kicking Gas meets people where they are: in their homes, communities, and lived realities, and invites them into a conversation about health, comfort, and power.

By Julia Fregonara of Nisqually River Education Project

Another crisp fall morning dawns in the Ohop Valley as Nisqually River Education Project (NREP) staff eagerly await the arrival of a school bus. When it pulls up, dozens of students spill out, forming a circle to receive their instructions for the day: restoring the delicate riparian habitat near Ohop Creek by planting native trees and shrubs.

Growing up with my roots in San Diego, CA, I was constantly surrounded by vibrant communities and playful littles. As I would assist with my mom’s art classes, workshops, and camps in an 800-square foot urban art studio starting at the impressionable age of nine, I slowly advanced my love of artful education at this young age. With the privilege of watching my mother’s role as an arts educator grow into bigger workshops and camps, I too began developing skills alongside her that would, in time, cater towards my summer job as a lead camp instructor at the age of nineteen.

By Shelley Barker, Director of School Engagement, Outdoor Schools WA

“Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives.”

—Thomas Berry

When Outdoor Schools WA (OSWA) formed three years ago, the team decided on a marker for our success: we would know we’d done our job well when every student in Washington had the opportunity to spend a fully-funded week at high quality outdoor schools during their 5th or 6th grade year. We also acknowledged that achieving this overarching goal would involve a lot more than simply distributing subsidies. We’d need to support teachers and administrators in school buildings. We’d need to work with existing sites and emerging sites across the state. We’d need to create an expectation of excellent pedagogical practices, standards aligned lessons,  and inclusivity. It’s a tall order we’ve made for ourselves! This year’s work took us closer to our goal…

With spring in full bloom and the sun shining brighter, it's time to dust off those bikes and celebrate National Bike Month this May in Washington! Biking isn't just about getting from point A to B—it's a powerful tool for environmental education and youth empowerment. By choosing pedal power over motor vehicles, we can encourage young people in mitigating climate change and preserving the natural habitats that define our beloved state.

At the heart of Earth Day is the drive toward individual and collective action to care for the Earth and the systems that humans and all life depend on for air, water, food, and green space.

Did you know that Washington has learning standards designed to engage our students in exploring, understanding, and taking action to solve environmental problems in their communities? Washington’s K-12 Integrated Environmental and Sustainability Education Learning Standards are under revision and should be adopted and released in late 2024. Meanwhile, check out the state Environmental and Sustainability Literacy Plan. The goal of the plan is to ensure that our students have the ability and mindset to take individual and collective action that addresses environmental problems in their communities.

When I moved to Washington three years ago with no job and minimal connections, I was eager to explore what folks were doing around here towards environmental and sustainability education. I discovered E3 Washington and after connecting with then co-chair, Sylvia Hadnot, I knew I wanted to get involved. But how? As an established outdoor educator with a budding interest in politics and policy, the Catalyst Committee stood out as a place where I could facilitate long-lasting, systemic change in the industry. At the start of 2023, I raised my hand to help chair these efforts.