www.PICEweb.org

It may sound strange, but the Pennsylvania Institute for Conservation Education owes its creation, in part, to the Rocky Mountain Ecosystem.

“I was teaching at the American Wilderness Leadership School in Wyoming when I began to notice how many of the participants were educators coming from PA and the Appalachian Mountains,” said Michele Richards, CEO and Executive Director of the Institute. “I began to think of how these teachers are learning about Rocky Mountain Ecology but live and teach in the Appalachian ecosystem demonstrating to me a need for more localized natural history based program in my home state of Pennsylvania. That, together with a visionary group of people like Jim Brett helped get the idea of the Institute off the ground.”

The Institute was founded in 2002 as a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to advancing awareness, knowledge and skills in natural history, natural science and the conservation of natural resources.

“We’re trying to reach an audience that is becoming more and more disconnected from the natural community that sustains us,” says Richards. “That’s why we need to connect people to nature through direct learning experiences in the out-of-doors, and teach them they aren’t just part of an environment to be managed, but to be understood and appreciated.”

The Institute’s guiding philosophy is simple-- experience teaches best.

“There is a void in environmental education where few programs teach about natural sciences like forest ecology or watershed ecology,” said Richards. “Environmental education programs tend to concentrate on the larger picture of ecologically roles and functions and environmental issues. We want people to understand their role in the ecology, be able to identify plants and animals and conduct natural inventories, and their role in the biology of a place. When national research demonstrated that youth were able to identify hundreds of marketing symbols while barely able to identify less than a dozen natural objects, we recognized an inherent need for our program” says Richards.

The Institute runs programs seasonally from spring through fall almost every other week. They held 25-28 programs in 2004, including many for the general public through its annual catalog of courses. More than a dozen instructors come from all over the state to help teach PICE Programs, some of who donate their teaching time.

The programs include: natural history seminars, teacher education, youth and school programs, conservation internships, expeditions and custom programs for organized groups. PICE is approved by the Department of Education to offer its coursework for ACT 48 Continuing Education hours for teachers. And growing partnerships with Intermediate Units and a state college allow PICE to offer some of our coursework to teachers for academic credit.

“We don’t run thousands of people through our programs. Given the nature of our field programs, classes are small to ensure quality, enjoyment, learning, time with the experts, and low impact on the environment but more intense.” Richards said.

Guiding the development of these unique experiences are several principles: teach the convergence of natural and cultural history, science, literature and the arts; address natural history and conservation as unifying themes; affirm human history as integral to the history of landscapes; encourage exploration, reflection and stewardship through immersion in the out-of-doors; promote respect among people and the broader community of life.

Typically two and three-day residential sessions, the programs are packed with plenty of fieldwork catering to a diverse audience of educators, professional conservationists, consultants and interested individuals.

Also, the Institute will custom-design programs for organized groups.

“We are partnering with the Junior Zoo Apprentice Program at the Philadelphia Zoo to provide urban youth with a direct learning experience in the natural environment, familiarizing them with the natural history of the Delaware Water Gap and connecting them with the rest of their watershed,” said Richards. “With Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization, we are collaborating on an outdoor mentoring program to provide at-risk youth with hands-on outdoor experiences through a long-term relationship with a mentor.”

Staff from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, The Nature Conservancy, State Parks, and environmental education centers across the state have benefited from the natural sciences training provided by the Institute.

Institute programs are held throughout the state using Pennsylvania as an outdoor classroom. For example, the Raystown Field Station, established by Juniata College and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1974 to provide special opportunities for environmental research and education at the 29,000 acre Raystown Lake Project in Huntingdon County, serves as one of Institute’s program sites.

“Juniata College and the Raystown Field Station was one of our first academic partners who recognized the need for natural science education programs,” said Richards. Woolrich was the Institute’s first corporate sponsor, and Canon helps provide in-kind support for our programs.”

The strength and comprehensive nature of PICE involves a collaboration of conservation professionals and organizations, biologists, ecologists, field naturalists, educators, and individuals who support our mission.

The Institute is a 501(c)(3) charitable educational organization. Foundation and government grants, corporate support and income from its programs provide financing for the Institute. With this support they are often able to offer participants scholarships to its programs.

The future holds some exciting plans for the Institute-- developing a program to certify instructors in natural history and expanding its offerings to support the growing interest in ecotourism.

“In this new age of ecotourism, natural history has a fundamental role to play,” said Richards. “Many of our programs are hosted at Inns, retreats, camps and private lodges in areas that are rich in natural history and highlight phenomenal landscapes and outstanding wildlife viewing.”

The Institute is also developing a partnership with Cedar Crest College in Allentown to offer programs for Masters-level course credits for formal educators.

Richards, a Pennsylvania native, is glad to be back home doing what she loves.

“In our short history, we’re demonstrating that people are interested in learning of their natural environment and our program is filling a significant void,” said Richards.

For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Institute for Conservation Education webpage (temporary link). The 2005 Catalog of courses is also available online. Or, contact Michele Richards, CEO/Executive Director, 570-458-5227 or by email to: naturecorp@enter.net .

And watch for the opening of the Institute’s new website at: www.PICEweb.org .

5/20/2005