The NOAA Planet Stewards Newsletter, “The Watch”, features environmental professional development, news, training opportunities, and educational resources to share.

Partners from the Chesapeake Bay Program Education Workgroup are excited to announce the launch of an online course created to provide in-depth understanding of the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience for both formal and non-formal educators. MWEE 101, as the course is known, is housed on NOAA’s learning management system Chesapeake Exploration.

The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), with funding support from US Forest Service (USFS), is offering $32,200 through mini-grants for health promotion activities that will also help restore and protect America’s forests.

Join the full day exploration of green infrastructure with designers, practitioners, planners and advocates. The day will include local, regional and national case studies, as well as tools and research on the planning and implementation of green infrastructure for climate resiliency, community building, human health and ecological benefit.

The Best Urban BMP in the Bay Awards contest (BUBBAs) recognizes the best practices and programs being implemented in the urban environment across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Now in its fourth year, the BUBBAs shine a light on local innovators using creative approaches to protect and restore local watersheds.

The Bay Backpack eNewsletter is mailed four times per year highlighting schools in the news, professional development opportunities, funding, and stewardship events. See what opportunities are happening in your backyard!

From February 7-10, 2019, attend the largest state-wide environmental education conference in the nation and the only conference of its kind in the State of Maryland. The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) conference brings together 600+ formal and non-formal educators for four days of networking, gaining resources and examples from the classroom, the school grounds and the community.

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET Chesapeake) grant program supports hands-on watershed education to students and teachers to foster stewardship of the Bay. Environmentally literate citizens with the skills and knowledge to make well-informed environmental choices are key to sustaining the nation’s ocean and coastal environments.

From November 6-December 20, 2018, educators and students enrolled in this online course will engage in worldwide networking and social learning to understand environmental education foundations and approaches.

The Green Schools Conference & Expo is the only national event to bring together all the players involved in making green schools a reality: people who lead, operate, build and teach in U.S. schools. Two days of programming offer inspiring keynote speakers, informative workshops and breakout sessions and the chance to network with colleagues from across the country. In 2019, GSCE will be hosted in St. Paul, MN on April 8-9 in partnership with IMPACT, a regional sustainability conference.