Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that Hubbard County Soil & Water Conservation and Minnesota State Mankato will receive grants of $98,000 and $100,000, respectively, to support environmental education projects.
“Advancing environmental education advances EPA’s mission because it better equips our communities with the information they need to protect public health today and in the future,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This year’s environmental education grant recipients will work in underserved communities across the country to foster a deeper understanding of environmental challenges and inspire action towards sustainable solutions.”
Crystal Mathisrud, District Manager of Hubbard County Soil and Water Conservation District, stated, “Conservation partners, landowners, and schools are forming partnerships in Northern Minnesota to promote long-term rural community vibrancy that is inclusive of educational resources, local economy, social vitality and measurable conservation impacts through hands-on learning, student-designed projects and community mini-grants funded through the activity of cone and seed collecting for our state nursery -- also reviving local knowledge and traditions around seed collecting to produce the next generation of seedlings for our forests.”
Kimberly Musser, Water Resources Center Associate Director at Minnesota State Mankato, commented on their project: “A collaborative partnership with Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Mankato Area Public Schools will provide outdoor experiences and educate area youth about watershed and ecosystem health to inspire the next generation of conservation stewards.”
The EPA grants will fund day-long high school field trips, monthly stewardship experiences, opportunities for outdoor adventure and recreational skill-building. They will also support teachers in using hands-on projects to engage students in environmental issues.
Since 1992, the EPA has distributed between $2 million and $3.7 million annually in environmental education grant funding. This totals over $95.1 million supporting more than 3,960 projects. The program traditionally provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate or disseminate environmental education practices.
For more information visit EPA’s Environmental Education web page or the Environmental Education Grants web page for details on current and past award winners or to apply for future EE grant competitions.
