The Superior Watershed Partnership is offering grants to educators across the Upper Peninsula looking to expand or develop forestry-based outdoor educational opportunities for students.
The maximum award per educator is $1,000; 8-10 awards are anticipated. Funding can be used for forest-based, outdoor education efforts including but not limited to: planting native trees and shrubs, professional development opportunities, outdoor education resources such as equipment or supplies, and more. Projects must include an educational component about the crucial role that trees play in climate adaptation, climate mitigation or community resiliency.
All Upper Peninsula schools/educators are eligible for funding. If you are an educator interested in applying for SWP grant funding, please complete the application by January 9th, 2023. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
In the 2021-2022 academic year, SWP awarded environmental education grants to seven Upper Peninsula schools. Projects included planting over 2,000 native tree plugs throughout an 80 acre school forest; integrating water quality monitoring with forest health indicator surveys; creating native plant species identification guidebooks and trail signage; improving a campus bog walk for year-round accessibility; and improving hoop house infrastructure to support the growth of native pollinator plants.
In addition, 17 pairs of hiking boots were purchased for students in need, who hiked approximately 20 miles over 4 days, picking up litter along the trail. Over 500 students throughout the rural U.P. have directly benefited from SWP environmental education grant funding.
APPLY FOR A 2023 SWP FOREST EDUCATION GRANT TODAY
SWP received funding from the USDA Forest Service Eastern Region State and Private Forestry Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) program to collaboratively protect and restore priority forest landscapes across the Upper Peninsula.
Through a combination of public outreach, education, and small-scale forestry restoration projects, K-12 students, the Great Lakes Climate Corps (GLCC) and community volunteers have and will continue to engage in meaningful environmental education and forest restoration efforts, providing immediate ecosystem benefits within three Great Lakes watersheds.
Other successful activities accomplished under this grant include SWP/GLCC partnering with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, the Bay Mills Indian Community and Marquette County to make timber stand improvements, remove invasive species, and implement forest management techniques to benefit native tree species important to Tribal partners.
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