LEEF Fall Mini-Conference

The development and implementation of Brevard Zoo's Master Interpretive Plan in 2022 established new goals and outcomes for guests and volunteers visiting the Zoo. Our Senior Manager of Guest Learning and Interpretation worked with other departments of the zoo to create an interpretive framework that represented the zoo's many conservation, wellbeing, and community initiatives. The MIP made interpretation more consistent and thematic across the Zoo to better facilitate learning through repeated  and meaningful encounters with the Zoo's core messaging. The MIP is a useful too to guide informal programs, including animal encounters, guided tours, and learning events. Creating an MIP is also a strong opportunity for multiple departments to collaborate on creating meaningful themes for interpreters to share with visitors and the community.  

This Florida Wildlife Corridor session will ignite curiosity through learning opportunities with Path of the Panther–a ground-breaking conservation campaign and film telling the story of the recovery of the Florida panther and the vital need to protect its habitat. Participants will learn about new, free Educator Guides for middle and high school to adult learning, featuring life science concepts, geography, and STEAM connections to help students connect to real-world issues and problem-solving. This session will showcase the new resources and provide experience with selected activities designed to enthrall students through the astounding yet endangered Florida panther, the vast biodiversity of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, and the critical challenges facing the environment as Florida gains 1,000 + residents per day. Path of the Panther is a National Geographic film available on Disney+. These new educator guides, film clips, a film discussion guide, and a podcast series are all available on PathofthePanther.com.

”A Week in the Field" is a transformative camp offered by Sanibel Sea School, part of the SCCF family, designed to inspire high school students to pursue careers in STEM fields through hands-on, real-world experiences. Join us to learn how to design and implement immersive field programs that connect students with actual environmental research and conservation efforts, fostering practical skills and knowledge, and explore the benefits of partnering with local organizations and scientists to enrich educational programs and provide students with valuable mentorship and real-world insights. With accessibility and inclusivity in mind, we will also discuss our strategies for breaking down financial barriers, ensuring all interested students have the opportunity to participate.  

Something to fit most appetites:  meat, veggie, and glucose-free along with fruits, veggies, and cookies.  
Please--if you did not request a vegetarian lunch, do not take those options until you come back for seconds.  Also, the first time through the line, take a minimal amount and then come back for extras after the line has gone away.

Funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Pisces Foundation, the project included a comprehensive study of the environmental education already happening on the ground, enabling the states involved to identify gaps and barriers to access that prevent successful implementation in some areas. The final report provides recommendations and next steps for increasing environmental literacy efforts in the southeast based on an inventory of model programs and initiatives happening nationwide.   
This analysis and tailored state recommendations included in the report also equip organizations and schools conducting environmental and conservation-related work in the southeast with the materials they need to address gaps, allocate resources more effectively, and, ultimately, meet the goal of increasing environmental literacy levels and stewardship behaviors.

This interactive session will explore why people of all ages seek encounters and connections with wildlife, and how environmental educators incorporate this fascination into programs. Participants will get a chance to share tips and challenges with other environmental educators and an educational researcher. The topics covered will include ideas for moving beyond charismatic megafauna, emphasizing respect & appreciation for other living things, teaching for interspecies empathy, and a framework for classifying what makes animal encounters & experiences significant.

A conversation with the Florida Climate Education Network to discuss where we are with climate education in Florida, what support or barriers educators are having, and where we would like it to go.