OUTREACH & EDUCATION

Outreach and Education efforts instill in participants of all ages and backgrounds a deeper understanding of nature and inspire a life-long commitment to the conservation of land and the preservation of our natural resources, through immersive, experiential “in the field” teaching of WCT’s integrative approach to conservation.

Goal 1

Continue to provide rich educational programming to the Willistown community and beyond by using WCT’s preserves and the Rushton Conservation Center (RCC) as a classroom for the community, connecting people to our state-of-the-art programs (and staff) in community farming, bird conservation, land protection, land stewardship, and watershed protection.

Goal 2

Develop comprehensive programming for adults that combines in-field experiences with lectures to foster environmental literacy in the community. Work to develop relationships in new communities, and consider additional family programming following community needs or trends in environmental education (e.g.,naturebased wellness and mindfulness programs).

Goal 3

Provide engaging educational content from each of our Core Activities through a variety of communication channels including print, email, website, blog, social media, and the press. Virtual programs will continue to be offered as a way to connect with the larger community and with greater accessibility.

GOAL 4

Continue to provide multi-disciplinary internship opportunities to college and graduate level students. Standardize the recruitment and hiring practices across departments and expand efforts to recruit from a diverse pool of colleges and students.

GOAL 6

Continue to provide educational opportunities for children K-12. Foster relationships with new and existing public and private schools, with a focus on students in grades 4-12. Formalize the Rushton 360 field trip offering, high school volunteer opportunities, and develop appropriate fee structure. Continue to offer Rushton Nature Keepers, a premier environmental education program, to youth ages 8-12.

GOAL 5

Maintain existing academic partnerships with institutions such as Drexel University, the Academy of Natural Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Villanova University, and more. Explore further opportunities with the immense number of colleges and universities in the Greater Philadelphia area. Continue to utilize WCT’s nature preserves as field study sites for academic researchers.

GOAL 7

Continue the Education Strategic Planning work that was started in 2019 to guide WCT’s wide array of education activities and to help strategize the future of WCT’s education efforts.