ACT Chapter Update - March OzEE News 23

AAEEACT celebrating World Water Day 23, Jerrabomberra Wetlands ACT

Who is who on AAEEACT Executive and Co-Opts for 2023

 

ACT has a strong and diverse Executive this year with:

 

·      ACT Chapter President Andrew O’Meara - Operations Manager at the Wildbark Learning Centre

 

·      Artist and ACT Chapter Vice President Julia Landford - NatureArt Lab director

 

·      Belinda Wilson - ACT Emerging Educator for 2023 and Postdoctoral Research Fellow ANU

 

·      Experienced and new teachers:

o   Jodie Green (new teacher & ACT Chapter Treasurer)

o   Karon Campbell

o   Taz Whan

o   Donella Johnstone

 

·      Viv Pearce OAM - ACT Environmental Educator for 2023

 

·      Glenys Patulny OAM - ACT environmental community leader

 

Donella and Viv are currently working at Australian National Botanic Gardens. Finally, co-opted member Angela Crompton (ACT Sustainable Schools leader and AAEE’s link to schools in ACT and their great sustainable endeavours).

 

The executive’s role is to support local environmental educators, especially AAEE members, to  deliver Education for Sustainability (EfS) and environmental education more broadly in our region. This support includes networking, professional development, and events.  ACT also has strong voice at the national level with Jodie and Viv working as part of the AAEE (national) Executive.

Are you a student teacher or young environmental educator? Apply for a scholarship to pay for a 3 year AAEE membership and AAEE conference registrations.

 

World Water Day (22/3/23) was celebrated in ACT with a wander through Jerrabomberra Wetlands by 20 brave souls, led by our new President Andrew. The group was a mixture of local educators and interested community members. The walk highlighted the importance of wetlands not only to local biodiversity but internationally with ACT being an important destination for migratory birds. The Latham Snipe visits Jerrabomberra Wetlands on its globe spanning migration from Siberia to southern Australian States. The critical role our wetlands play in filtering local pollution form our precious inland waterways before the Murrumbidgee River is reached, was also highlighted and opportunities for local schools to visit.

 

On Sunday following Earth Hour our new Executive met at Australian National Botanic Gardens for a thought-provoking Strategy and Planning afternoon, ably facilitated by member Karl-Erik Paasonen, for which the ACT Chapter is grateful. The Executive members left with a clearer vision of where they might lead our local AAEE Chapter this year and a renewed vigour to strengthen, support, grow and expand the chapter and the local environmental education community

 

For members who would like to find out what we do on the AAEEACT Executive, we are looking for a member with minute-taking skills in meetings, and a member with skills in communication to better connect environmental educators in the ACT. Contact aaeeact@gmail.com if you think you can help.