Environmental Education & Outreach

At ACT we believe that Florida’s environment is one-of-a-kind, and that education is key to protecting our natural places. As part of our work, we provide immersive educational outdoor experiences for all ages by:

• Hosting monthly outdoor events and outings including bug walks, paddles, plant walks, and trail cleanups;

• Working with local partners to provide environmental education to over 1,200 elementary school children from underserved schools as part of the Creekside Environmental Ed for Kids (CrEEK) program; and

• Providing students and young people with training in the conservation field through internships and summer programs such as Young Leaders for Wild Florida and Women in the Woods.

We are focused on providing current and future generations with opportunities to learn about our shared environment and we are committed to equipping everyone with the tools needed to protect and conserve Florida’s cherished lands.

Learn more about some of these educational outreach programs below.

ACT Events & Outings

Each month, ACT hosts outreach and volunteer events on our preserves and in the community that aim to educate participants about the environment around them and the importance of conservation, as well as get people out in nature. Events typically take place in the spring and fall. Past preserve and community events have included walk & talks, preserve openings, plant hikes, birding with local Audubon members, fish ID, paddling trips, spider and bug ID, pumpkin carving, and ice cream in the park.

Events are updated regularly on the ACT Events calendar, which can be accessed by clicking on the button below.

Photos from past events can also be found in the ACT Events Photo Gallery here.

Interested in volunteering with ACT for our events and cleanups? Contact us today!

Creekside Environmental Ed for Kids (CrEEK)

Each school year ACT, with our partners at Friends of Little Orange Creek, host the Creekside Environmental Ed for Kids (CrEEK) Program at Little Orange Creek Nature Park. Through the program, approximately 1,200 fourth graders from underserved schools in Gainesville and Putnam counties are bused out to Little Orange Creek Nature Park where they learn basics in wetland and wildlife ecology.

The CrEEK Program strives to connect students from underserved communities with outdoor education through hands-on learning experiences. By integrating outdoor learning compatible with education standards, the CrEEK Program establishes an engaging education experience to inspire curiosity in the outdoors. We offer an opportunity for students, who may not have the opportunity to explore nature in their everyday lives, to gain knowledge about science concepts, feel empowered to ask questions and explore, and most importantly, have fun in the process. We hope to inspire passion for nature and reinforce the importance of protecting the environment around them. 

As part of their participation in the CrEEK Program, students will engage in activities such as catching bugs with a sweep net in the grass fields, dipnetting for invertebrates in the creek, working within nature to identify and learn about decomposition and the carbon cycle, going on guided nature hikes where they identify different species of plants and animals, and cataloging all of their discoveries in their science journal. These activities are paired with guidance and discussion with ecologists and environmental educators in order for students to make lasting connections with the knowledge gained in the surrounding environment. 

The CrEEK Program aims to actively work against educational barriers and foster a diverse future of nature lovers and environmental leaders. Marginalized communities are often excluded from outdoors spaces through mechanisms such as wealth, safety, and proximity. CrEEK aims to bring students into nature to create a safe and long-lasting impact on their relationships with the outdoors.

ACT provides support for busing and supplies, as well as consultation on strategies and topics for teaching. ACT provides additional support through the CrEEK program coordinator, who serves to oversee logistics and planning for CrEEK events. 

Thank you to the following CrEEK supporters & partners:

• Vystar Foundation

• The Glenn W. Bailey Foundation 

• Wingstop Charities

• Clay Electric’s Operation Round Up

• The Huisking Foundation

• The Robert F. Schumann Foundation

• The National Park Trust's Every Kid Outdoors Initiative 

• The League of Environmental Educators in Florida (LEEF)

• Friends of Little Orange Creek

• City of Hawthorne, FL

• City of Gainesville, FL

• Alachua County Library District - Hawthorne Branch  

• University of Florida Natural Resources Diversity Initiative (NRDI)

• The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo 

Interested in supporting the CrEEK Program? Contact us for more information on how you can get involved.

Young Leaders for Wild Florida (YLWF)

Each year, ACT hosts the Young Leaders for Wild Florida (YLWF) Summer Program, a two-week environmental immersive camp that provides opportunities for high school and early college-aged students to explore Florida, learn about conservation, and volunteer in the community.

YLWF supports participants to become Florida's next generation of environmental leaders through educational outdoor adventures, workshops with leaders in our community, exposure to environmental issues and career paths, and student-led community projects. Throughout the program, students learn about a wide variety of environmental issues and careers in the field and discover their own potential as environmental advocates through student-directed projects. Students are encouraged to develop their creativity, problem solving, and relationship with nature during the program, and they can look forward to discovering incredible wild places with peers and mentors while gaining skills and inspiration they can take to college, their careers, and a lifetime of leadership and stewardship.

Camp Info

Who Can Apply? All youth between the ages of 16-19 living or studying in and around Alachua County are encouraged to apply. If you are under 16 years old and very interested in joining the program, please apply and contact us. We may make exceptions.

When Does the Program Take Place?  Typically over the course of two weeks in July. The days usually start around 9 a.m. and end around 4 p.m., but the time will vary day-by-day given the variety of activities we will be doing throughout the program. The program takes place during weekdays.

How Much Does YLWF Cost? Young Leaders for Wild Florida is a donation-based program. We don't want finances to prevent your participation in the program. We encourage a minimum donation of $30 (our costs are over $300 per participant).

How Can I Apply? Applications for the YLWF Summer Camp are currently closed and will re-open in early 2025.

The camp is made possible each year thanks to support from the following supporters & partners:

• Waterlust

• Current Problems

• The Repurpose Project

• Santa Fe College

• The Florida Museum of Natural History

• Seahorse Key Marine Lab

• Ashton Biological Preserve

• Environmental Ambassadors

• Mermaid Michi

• Adventure Outpost

YLWF is a donation-based program where campers pay what they can to attend. To help this program continue as a low or no cost opportunity for students, please consider making a donation to ACT today. 

Women in the Woods (WITW)

In 2017, ACT launched its Women in the Woods Initiative (WITW). WITW operates as part of ACT’s Natural Resources Internship Program and focuses on providing women-centered skills-based programming for students and recent graduates seeking experience in the natural resources sector.

Recent statistics on the status of women and girls in our region indicate that the number of women employed in the natural resource sector is extremely low – the lowest of all sectors surveyed. WITW seeks to offer a solution to this under-representation by recruiting women for ACT’s Natural Resources Internship, equipping participants with practical, hands-on land management and conservation skills, and providing networking opportunities with women working in conservation and natural resource management. Our goal is that participants will leave their internship with applicable skills and professional references for their future conservation careers.

So far, students in the program have had a variety of academic backgrounds, majoring in Wildlife Ecology, Forestry, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Conservation, Wetlands Ecology, Environmental Engineering and Sustainability Studies. As a WITW participants, students gain valuable experience while assisting ACT staff and partners with every day land management tasks, helping to accomplish many of the larger projects on ACT’s preserves.

In addition to hands-on learning, WITW participants have the valuable opportunity to meet with and learn from some of our local professional Women in the Woods. At special mentor gatherings open to all of our Natural Resources Interns, conservation professionals share a variety of career experiences and real-world perspectives as women in the field of land protection and stewardship. Participants have the opportunity to ask questions and seek guidance regarding their future career paths.

If you're interested in becoming a WITW participant, click here to learn more about ACT’s Natural Resources Internship Program.

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Banner image: CrEEK students sweep netting at Little Orange Creek Nature Park. Photo by Keara Clancy.