New Hampshire’s Environmental Literacy Plan – A Blueprint for the Future of Environmental Education in New Hampshire

Presenter: Dr. Judith Silverberg
Location: PSU’s Boyd Hall, Room 001
Time: 4:00 – 5:00PM
Free admission

For the last two years a diverse group of educators has been gathering information and drafting an environmental literacy plan for New Hampshire.  This effort is part of a nationwide goal of having environmental literacy plans for all states.  This session will focus on the reasoning behind having an environmental literacy plan as well as the process that has been used in its development. Participants will discuss the points that are contained in New Hampshire’s draft plan.

Dr. Judith Silverberg has thirty-five years experience in working with natural resources agencies in Wisconsin, Connecticut and New Hampshire.   She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison for both her bachelors (Wildlife Ecology) and master’s degree (Environmental Education) and the University of New Hampshire for her doctorate (Natural Resources). Currently she works for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department where she is actively involved in planning and implementing wildlife education and viewing programs throughout New Hampshire.

The brook trout is a priority fish species in New Hampshire for several reasons.  Brook trout are native species, highly prized by anglers, indicative of excellent water quality, and quite beautiful.  There is mounting evidence that this species is declining throughout its range in the eastern United States.  To address this decline, there are several efforts underway to protect and restore the species and its habitat.  To do this effectively, we need to know more.  Although much is known about the ecology of brook trout, still many of the details are vague, and it seems that each population differs from the next in unexpected ways.  The presentation will look at some of the recent results of habitat use research on this fascinating species.

John Magee has a Master’s in Zoology from University of Maine, Orono.After graduation, he worked for the National Marine Fisheries Service on Atlantic salmon in Maine, a consulting firm in New Hampshire, and has been the Fish Habitat Biologist at New Hampshire Fish and Game since 2004.

Summer will be here before you know it and space is limited to 42 participants—plan your family’s stay at Camp PSU now!

Click here to register online or download a registration form to send by mail.

3:00-6:00 PM:    Registration and Check in to Landgon Woods
6:00-7:00 PM:    Welcome dinner
7:00-9:00 PM:    “Get to know PSU” scavenger hunt

Wednesday, July 27th:

9:00-11:30 AM:    History and heritage of the White Mountains
11:30-12:30 PM:   Lunch
12:30-4:30 PM:    Choice of outdoor adventure: hiking or PSU’s Ropes Course
4:30-6:00 PM:      Dinner
6:00-8:30 PM:      Planetarium show and star gazing

Thursday, July 28th:

9:00-11:30 AM:    Combining Art and Nature in the White Mountains
11:30-12:30 PM:   Lunch
12:30-4:30 PM:    Science of the Lakes at Squam Lake Natural Science Center
4:30-6:00 PM:      Dinner
6:00-8:30 PM:      Family Skate Night

Friday, July 29th:

8:00 AM:               Depart for Day of Weeks Celebration (at Mt. Washington)
9:00 AM
-4:00 PM:              Programming on site 
5:30 PM:                Return to PSU
6:00 PM:                Check out**

(**Families can opt to stay an additional night and check out on Saturday morning.  Please indicate your interest in an additional evening when registering)

Note: The agenda is tentative and may change prior to the final program.

A hands-on, minds-on workshop for the public

Come and learn what permaculture is all about and why it is important to you and your community. Permaculture works with a set of ethics and principles that suggest we think and act responsibly to each other and the earth. How does permaculture differ from other approaches to sustainable land use? Permaculture is one of the most holistic, integrated systems analysis and design methodologies found in the world. The workshop will include an introduction to the Permaculture Ethics and Principles using images from Permaculture sites, an introduction to the Permaculture Design Process, and an optional afternoon visit  to the PSU EcoHouse to learn more about this emerging Permaculture Site and help with the its installation.

This workshop is especially useful for homeowners, farmers, community activists, and gardeners. If you are working toward a sustainable future and want practical tools and applicable methodologies,then session is for you!

Date: May 14, 2011
Time: 9:00 AM-4:00 PM
Location: Room 001, Boyd Hall
Cost: $22

Agenda for the workshop

8:45 AM    Registration

9:00 AM    Introduction to Permaculture

10:30 AM  Break

10:45 AM   Designing Your Landscape

12:00 PM   Lunch on your own

1:oo PM      The EcoHouse Project: From Concept to Implementation
presented by Stephanie

2:00 PM     Walk to PSU’s EcoHouse

2:15 PM      Hands-on demonstration (weather permitting)

4:00 PM     Wrap up and evaluation

For more information about the workshop or to register, please contact Melissa Greenawalt-Yelle, mgreenawalt@plymouth.edu.

Date: April 6, 2011
Time: 6:30-8:30 PM
Location: PSU’s EcoHouse, located on the roundabout on Main Street
Cost: FREE and open to the public

To register, please contact Madeline McElaney, mmcelaney@nhcdfa.org or 603-717-6531.

Download a flyer about the workshop here.

Tuesday, July 26th through Friday, July 29th, 2011

This year’s program will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Weeks Act–the legislation responsible for creating the national forests. Nestled at the base of the White Mountain National Forest, Plymouth State University is the perfect place for participants to learn more about this landmark legislation and how the forest has influenced the heritage and environment of NH.

For more information or to register for this year’s program, please see our website.

On-Registration

CAMP PSU_Brochure

To register, submit a registration form to the College of Graduate Studies.  Registration begins on April 7, 2010.  For the complete list of courses being offered during Summer 2010, please visit the College of Graduate Studies Course Information page.

August 1, 2010-August 7, 2010

This course will introduce students to the core concepts of sustainability, different frameworks fro working towards a more sustainable world, and examples from different sectors in the Lakes/White Mountains region of New Hampshire. The themes that will be discussed include energy, shelter, food, transportation, material goods, local economics, habitat/biodiversity and many others.  This course will include examining how sustainability is being pursued in the residential, commercial/industrial, municipal, institutional, agricultural and recreational sectors. Topics covered also include how different frameworks are being used to achieve greater sustainability in these sectors through green building, organic food production, climate adaptation, and local energy initiatives, Transition Towns, relocalization, the Natural Step approach and permaculture.

Schedule highlights (tentative):

• Arrival on Sunday, August 1: Short orientation including information on Langdon Woods, a LEED Certified residence hall on PSU’s campus, and an overview of the course schedule and expectations.
• Monday, August 2: Introduction to sustainability and green building, tour of PSU projects including EcoHouse, a visit to Abode (a local green building company) and an evening film.
• Tuesday, August 3: Visit to a local farm for a meal of locally grown foods, presentation by a guest speaker from Local Foods-Plymouth and a visit to the new LEED certified White Mountain National Forest facility.
• Wednesday, August 4: A lecture on local climate adaptation and energy initiatives, a visit to area solar hot water and photovoltaic installations, and kayak trip to view low impact recreation and composting operations on Squam Lake.
• Thursday, August 5: Discussion of Transition Towns and local economies, guest presentation on the Natural Step approach, visit to Plymouth Farmers market.
• Friday, August 6: Introduction to Permaculture held at D Acres organic farm, followed by a hands-on workshop. Stay overnight at D Acres.
• Saturday, August 7: Return to PSU’s campus for wrap up and departure.

To download complete syllabus, click here.

For more information, please contact the instructor: Steve Whitman at 603-535-5037 or swwhitman@plymouth.edu

Knowing your students involves more than just a set of standardized test scores. Learn how an arts rich, community-based classroom can facilitate authentic cycles of assessment and instruction and help each child develop a sense community, place and self-worth.

K-12 teachers and administrators will learn how arts integration can differentiate your teaching and reach all students. Participants will experience dynamic hand-on workshops presented by New England artists and develop a toolbox of activities to take back to their classrooms. Through workshops and discussions, participants will explore how the languages of visual art, drama, movement, music, and creative writing can inspire students and open doors to understanding. The workshops will also involve activities that celebrate and explore the environment and cultivate a sense of place. Final projects allow individuals or teams to create projects that will be immediately applicable to their learning environment. The nationally recognized Integrated Instructional model will be profiled as a successful model for differentiated instruction. Join us in this celebration of teaching and learning!!!!