OpportunityTitle: BLM Utah Monticello Field Office Local School Outdoor Education Program
Description: Background: The BLM Utah Monticello Field Office Local School Outdoor Education Program is an ongoing annual program led by local educators, in cooperation with BLM Monticello Field Office Resource Specialists, that teaches local high school students about natural and cultural resources found on public lands and about public lands management. The program has operated intermittently since 2011 and provides one to two outdoor field trips per month, throughout the school year, on public lands in San Juan County and Grand County, Utah. BLM specialists and specialists from other land management agencies will often accompany educators and students on field trips to help lead activities, provide interpretation, and provide career mentorship. The program will engage students in hands on educational activities that promote learning about our natural environment. On the field trips, students will investigate and experience their natural world by participating in activities such as plant and animal identification, visiting cultural and paleontological sites, resource monitoring, participating in various outdoor recreation pursuits, and performing volunteer work. Students will learn about ecosystems, native plants, history, wildlife, archeology, geology, paleontology, public lands management, and Leave No Trace practices. Objectives: The program objectives are to provide an opportunity for local youth to learn about their local public lands resources and public lands management in a hands-on, outdoor classroom setting, as well as provide an opportunity for career mentorship for students interested in pursuing a career in public lands management. Public Benefit: This project will provide environmental education and public lands management knowledge to local youth, which will help foster and inspire future generations of public land stewards. In addition, the project will help local youth understand how and why the BLM manages public lands, which may help to increase community support.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: mbeckstead@blm.gov
GrantorContactText: Grants Management Specialist Melanie Beckstead (801) 539-4169&lt;br/&gt;mbeckstead@blm.gov&lt;br/&gt;