I'm on the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy Board

 

Over the past 4+ years, I have shared a few dozen posts about and probably hundreds of photographs taken at the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy's many preserves.  I have brought students to the preserves to learn more about science in the field.  I have led probably close to twenty public events in the preserves.  Last year I was honored to receive the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy's Robert (Bob) Ball Award for my contributions to the Conservancy's mission of protecting natural habitat and open space.

Now a new chapter of my relationship with the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy begins.  Over the past year or so several members of the CWC Board of Directors have asked if I would be willing to serve on the Board if a spot opened up.  Recently two positions have become available.  After meeting last week with CWC President John Mitchell, I accepted an offer to join the Board immediately.

My first meeting as a member of the Board is this Wednesday (15 MAR 2017).

I look forward to this challenge and can't wait to see the direction that the organization takes over the next few years.

To learn more about the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy please check out their website.

I'm a MAEOE Board Member

This past weekend I attended the annual conference of the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE).  MAEOE is a statewide organization with the mission of "promoting environmental literacy through education" by helping educators "explore the interconnectedness of natural and human systems; take responsibility for long-term environmental sustainability; make personal choices that contribute to ecological and human health; think globally and act locally; and use MAEOE's resources to expand (their) environmental ethic personally, and with (their) students."

I have been involved with MAEOE since 2009, when I attended their annual conference held at the University of Michigan - Dearborn.  Since then I have attended five more annual conferences, missing only the 2012 and 2013 editionss.  I have also been a presenter on three occasions (2011, 2014, and 2015).

This year the outgoing Past-President inquired if I would be interested in running for a position on the Board of Directors.  After asking a lot of questions and and much deliberation, I decided to give it a try and filled out my application to run.  I was one of five candidates for three available positions.  One of other four candidates was an active (and well-liked) current board member seeking reelection - not surprisingly, he was reelected for another term. 

Somewhat to my surprise, when the votes were tallied I was announced as one of two new members of the board! 

What does that mean?  It means some hard work - the board works on issues such as conference planning, membership, and marketing.  It also means that over the next three years I get to help steer the direction that MAEOE takes as an organization and have a say in the direction of environmental education in the state of Michigan.  I have lots of questions - despite being a member for years, there is a lot that I don't know about the organization. 

I am quite excited about the possibilities and look forward to this new challenge.