Environmental Educators Network ACT: Chapter AGM December 1 and Annual Report 2021-2022

NOTICE OF 2022 AGM: Thursday December 1st

AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

ACT Chapter

Australian National Botanic Gardens

4:oopm for 4:30 start and 5 pm finish.

To be followed by refreshments, the Annual ACT Environmental Educators Excellence Awards, then a relaxing educational walk - 6.30 pm finish

RSVP for catering, directions and updates please to aaeeact@gmail.com

Dear fellow AAEE member / friend of environmental education / colleague,

This email is the formal notice of the 2022 ACT Chapter AAEE Annual General Meeting, December 1, 2022. Formal AGM papers including reports, financials, minutes and a formal agenda will be sent to current members by email in due course.

It is also an invitation to all AAEE members, friends and colleagues in the ACT's environmental and education communities to join in celebrating environmental education excellence in the ACT.

At this event, we will thank outgoing committee members and 2021 awardees, welcome new nominees, and then meet the ACT's 2022 Environmental Education Excellence awardees (there are 2! to be announced on the day).

In 2023, recruiting more member and education community voices to the AAEE team is a priority.

There are 2 main options to contribute:

Join the ACT Chapter AAEE Executive Committee (voluntary position)
Join as an ex Officio member of the ACT Chapter AAEE Committee eg via a working group or other specific role (voluntary position)

What’s involved? A minimum of 4 business meetings a year and input commensurate with your energy, skills, and availability above that. The Committee's short business and governance meetings are currently conducted on Zoom each month, and our longer environmental education community networking events (such as tours and presentations) happen once every term.

How do I nominate? All members are encouraged to nominate and to take a turn helping run the organisation and being environmental education advocates - it's very uplifting and rewarding!

To apply to join the Committee please click here to go to our online nomination form - please complete by 24th November.

Note that while members, friends and colleagues are invited to the AGM and awards event, only members may nominate, vote and act as endorsers of nominees - it's the rules.

Do you know a colleague who might be interested, but needs more information? To receive further information or make an introduction please email us at aaeeact@gmail.com

Read the ACT Chapter AAEE Annual Report below

2021 - 2022 ANNUAL REPORT AAEE ACT

Vivienne Pearce OAM, Chapter President

This year has been difficult with face-to-face meetings near impossible due to ongoing Covid and other illnesses. Our ACT Executive have been steadfast in supporting our environmental educators and running our local Chapter. Our team included, Viv Pearce, Julia Landford, Jodie Green, Kate Rook, Taz Whan, Karon Campbell, Andrew O’Meara and co-opted Angela Crompton, Sue Jones and Mel Henderson. ACT has had a strong voice at a national level with Jodie Green and Viv Pearce on the national AAEE Executive. A special thanks to Bren Weatherstone who has served for many years as AAEE Public Officer and mentored Jodie Green to take on the role this year.

A robust and collegiate chapter and national group is critical for future EfS and nature education advocacy in the ACT and nationally. ACT has welcomed the formation of an AAEE advocacy group to lobby for a national approach to EfS and nature education in our schools.

This financial year ACT educators have excelled. First with local hero Adjunct Professor Keith Skamp recognised as ACT’s first AAEE Fellow, Kate Rhook (ACT Environmental Educator 2021), Andrew O’Meara (ACT Early Career Environmental Educator) and Highly Commended Early Career Environmental Educators, Kate Southwell and Daniel Harris-Pascal.

Excellence - Andrew O'Meara, Kate Rhook, Kate Southwell and Daniel Harris-Pascal

The awards continued with AAEE member, NatureArt Lab and it’s Director Julia Landford, receiving the Telstra Best of Business Award for Promoting Sustainability (ACT), as well as State Finalist Awards for Accelerating Women, Championing Health and Building Communities. Followed by our long-time Executive member Sue Jones being awarded an OAM for Dance and Environmental Education. We certainly have quality if not quantity in our talented ACT environmental educators!

Chapter highlights in the last financial year included:

 2021 Chapter’s second planning day, with detailed discussion around Curriculum Review, where EfS and nature education should be placed in curriculum, increasing biodiversity around our schools and ecological viability of popular micro forest plantings.

 Collaboration with the Costa Rican Ambassador on a future biodiversity education project between AAEEACT, NatureArt lab and two major scientific organisations in Canberra and Costa Rica.

 David Shorthouse’s talk on National Arboretum STEP Garden, an important ecosystem and wonderful resource for educators.

 2022 Executive meetings online to discuss governance and planning. The first AAEEACT Autumn Picnic was held at ANBG.

 Local member Actsmart Schools (now Sustainable Schools Program) provided a series of valuable PLs for ACT educators, involved many of our water educators.

 Increased links with Landcare by Julia Landford and Viv Pearce judging the Photography and Junior Landcare Team Awards respectively.

 May saw AAEEACT supporting the Community Rally to save endangered Lawson Grasslands and asking Federal Election candidates how they will step up to protect them. This followed NatureArt Lab collaborating with the Conservation Council to run a Colouring Competition and raise awareness for Threatened Species Day 2021 and endangered grassland species such as Sun Moth.

 In Reconciliation Week- ‘Be Brave and Making a Change’, ACT held a network meeting with one agenda item, ‘What would our chapter and individuals do in the coming year to make a change, as part of our Reconciliation Action Plan’. We hope to continue informed conversations next year. Viv Pearce also facilitated an Indigenous Plant Use Program at ANBG for local Conservation Council Board.

 A June networking event at the new Wildbark Education Centre (Mulligans Flat), and Twilight Threatened Species Walk was a great success.