ENVIRONMENTAL NATURE CENTER

DURING THE 2022-23 PROGRAM YEAR OVER 26,500 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN ENVIRONMENTAL NATURE CENTER (ENC) PROGRAMS. ENC STAFF NATURALISTS PRESENTED OVER 53,000 HOURS OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. OUR NUMBERS HAVE NOW COMPLETELY RECOVERED TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, IN MANY CASES WEVE SURPASSED THEM.THE ENC NATURE PRESCHOOL OPERATED AT FULL CAPACITY IN 2022-23, SERVING A DIVERSE POPULATION OF 72 CHILDREN DAILY. OUR SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM CONTINUED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL HARDSHIP.ON SITE FIELD TRIPS EXCEEDED ANY PREVIOUS YEARS NUMBERS OVER THE PAST YEAR, PARTLY DUE TO THE ADDITION OF OUR NEW LOCATION, ENC TUCKER WILDLIFE SANCTUARY. IN THE SPRING IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON TO FIND OUR NATURALISTS TEACHING MULTIPLE FIELD TRIP PROGRAMS AT BOTH LOCATIONS EACH DAY. WITH THE ADDITIONAL TEACHING LOCATION, IT IS LIKELY THAT WE WILL EXCEED THIS YEARS FIELD TRIP NUMBERS NEXT YEAR.TRAVELING NATURALIST PROGRAM NUMBERS IMPROVED FROM LAST YEAR, WITH 254 PROGRAMS REACHING 6,897 STUDENTS. MANY OF OUR OUTREACH PROGRAMS OCCUR AS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS OR AS PROGRAMS AT LOCAL LIBRARIES. WE ARE GLAD THAT TEACHERS AND SCOUT LEADERS PREFER TO BRING THEIR STUDENTS TO OUR NATURE CENTERS SO THEY CAN HAVE A HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH NATURE, BUT WE CONTINUE TO SEEK OUT NEW AUDIENCES FOR OUR TRAVELING PROGRAMS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE ENC AND ENTICE THOSE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO VISIT NATURE IN PERSON.IN 2022/23 917 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS, INCLUDING WINTER CAMPS, PRESIDENTS WEEK CAMP, SPRING BREAK CAMP AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CLASSES (TINY, MINI, AND LITTLE NATURALIST PROGRAMS) CONTINUE TO BE VERY POPULAR. 690 CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS PARTICIPATED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CLASSES IN 2022-23. 227 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN THE AFOREMENTIONED ENRICHMENT CAMPS. OUR SUMMER NATURE CAMPS SOLD OUT QUICKLY AGAIN THIS YEAR, WITH 810 CHILDREN FILLING ALMOST EVERY SESSION OF NATURE ADVENTURE CAMP ON THE SAME DAY THAT REGISTRATION OPENED. WE TRULY HAVE A REPUTATION FOR OFFERING ONE OF THE BEST SUMMER PROGRAMS IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR POPULARITY IS A TESTAMENT TO OUR SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM AND KIDS THAT WANT TO RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR.WE CONTINUE TO OFFER A DIVERSIFIED MENU OF PROGRAMS FOR SCOUTS AND COLLABORATE WITH SCOUTS ON EAGLE SCOUT AND SILVER AWARD PROJECTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. 568 SCOUTS ENJOYED AN ENC SCOUT PROGRAM DURING THE 2022/23 PROGRAM YEAR.BEARTHDAY PARTIES ARE EDUCATIONAL AND PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE PARTICIPANTS ABOUT WAYS TO CELEBRATE WHILE COMPLYING WITH THE ENCS ZERO WASTE POLICY. THEY ARE ALSO A GREAT INTRODUCTION TO THE NATURE CENTER FOR FAMILIES THAT ATTEND AS GUESTS! 22 BEARTHDAY PARTIES WERE CELEBRATED IN 2022/23, EDUTAINING 310 CHILDREN. COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ARE OPPORTUNITIES, FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CONNECT TO NATURE. THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY. IN 2022/23, 1414 COMMUNITY MEMBERS VISITED THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PLEIN AIR PAINTING OPPORTUNITES, OUR TEACHERS NIGHT OUT SERIES, QUARTERLY NATIVE PLANT SALES, CAMPOUTS, NATIVE PLANT USES WALKS, READING IN THE REDWOODS, AND A NEW PROGRAM OFFERED IN SPANISH, CONOCE TU MUNDO NATURAL AND MUCH MORE.OUR ARRAY OF ENRICHMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FACILITATES AN INTRODUCTION TO AND AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE, SO THAT PEOPLE LEARN TO NOTICE, CARE FOR AND RESPECT THE NATURAL WORLD, AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS INTEGRAL TO OUR HEALTH AND ECONOMIC STABILITY AS WELL AS OUR GREATEST RESOURCE FOR REJUVENATION, DELIGHT, RESEARCH AND INGENUITY. OUR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY AND HABITAT FOR ANIMALS. LONG TERM IMPACTS INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER CHOICES AND LIFELONG ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND STEWARDSHIP. OPPORTUNITIES, BIRDING HOURS, OUR TEACHERS NIGHT OUT SERIES, QUARTERLY NATIVE PLANT SALES, CAMPOUTS, NATIVE PLANT USES WALKS, FORAGING WALKS, AND MORE!OUR ARRAY OF ENRICHMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FACILITATES AN INTRODUCTION TO AN AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE, SO THAT PROPLE LEARN TO NOTICE, CARE FOR AND RESPECT THE NATURAL WORK, AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS INTEGRAL TO OUR HEALTH AND ECONOMIC STABILITY AS WELL AS OUR GREATEST RESOURCE FOR REJUVENATION, DELIGHT, RESEARCH AND INGENUITY. OUR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY AND HABITAT FOR ANIMALS. LONG TERM IMPACTS INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER CHOICES AND LIFELONG ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND STEWARDSHIP.