2001: An EE Odyssey:
Exploring Capacity, Community, Complexity, and Culture
Little Rock, Arkansas
October 11-15, 2001 |
Conference Registration Information Now Available! |
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General Conference Information
The Conference's four thematic strands are capacity building, biocomplexity, community, and culture. Each day one of the strands will be emphasized. |
| The Capacity Building strand focuses on furthering state/provincial and local efforts to create sustainable environmental education (EE) organizations; develop EE leaders; and achieve comprehensive EE programs at the state/provincial and local levels. |
| Biocomplexity refers to phenomena that arise as a result of dynamic interactions among and between biological systems and the physical environment. From individual cells to ecosystems, these systems interact with each other and with their environment. |
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The Community Strand is designed to examine how education can increase the capacity of a community to better understand local environmental factors and how EE can build community-based programs. Strand presentations, seminars, workshops, and forums will provide tools for achieving effective community action programs; developing community partnerships; creating ecologically sound and culturally appropriate projects; and providing community constituents with the knowledge and skills necessary to actively contribute to a healthy local environment. |
| A conference highlight from the Community Strand will be a Community Service Project in which NAAEE members from around the world, along with Little Rock residents, will participate in a project that will leave a positive legacy from the conference in the Little Rock community. Little Rock residents - including community groups, local environmental groups, the Mayor, the Governor's Office on Volunteerism, and others have begun to identify meaningful projects. |
| The Cultural Strand focuses on the organizational process of working within the cultural context of individuals and communities. Organizations actively learn about their worldviews, value systems, norms and perceptions of a healthy and sustainable environment, and use this knowledge to facilitate dialogue and enhance collaboration. |
| The 2001 conference will offer special events, entertainment, and field trips. Field trips will include opportunities to visit cultures of yesteryear in Little Rock's historic Quapaw Quarter, sample the hardy ways of the Ozark Mountain folks, view the pre-Columbian Toltec Mounds State Park, partake of the enduring pleasures of Arkansas' wineries, and relax in the geothermal waters bubbling to the surface in historic Hot Springs. |
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| The conference facilities will provide state-of-the-art meeting rooms, exhibit halls and lodging. The Conference hotel, the Arkansas Excelsior Hotel, sits atop the convention center. The Doubletree Hotel and the Riverfront Hilton are a short, pleasant walk away. |
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Conference Co-chairs:
Robert McAfee and Emilio Williams |
| Bob McAfee of the Arkansas Environmental Education Association and Emilio N. Williams of the Koi Group hope to create the best conference in NAAEE’s history. NAAEE will leave a legacy in Little Rock by working with its citizens to ensure that they enjoy the benefits of hosting a conference in their city. We are developing a service project that will make a lasting difference to the people of Little Rock and to the membership of NAAEE. |
Robert McAfee
AEEA
P.O. Box 210
Hackett, AR
72937
(501) 638-7151 (W)
(501) 638-7123 (Fax) |
Emilio N. Williams
The Koi Group
P.O. Box 305
Riverdale, MD 20738-0305
(301) 346-5715(W)
(301) 779-0389 (Fax) |
Conference Committee:
Elaine Andrews, NAAEE 2001 President
Suzanne Smith Hirrel, Local Arrangements Chair
Lynn Cole, Special Events Chair
Pat Knighten, Field Trips/Off-site Sessions Chair
Isabel Costilo
Ed Curran
Elizabeth Dyson
Garry Enns
Mike Flitter
Joe Heimlich
Ron Hellstern
Sandi Ryack Bell
Mary Paden
Abby Ruskey
Nick Smith-Sebasto |
Conference Staff:
Barb Eager, Acting Deputy Director, Administration, Conference and Core Services
Sarah Gray, Conference and Publications Assistant
Connie Smith, Membership Development and Services Manager
Barbara Spencer, Office Manager and Bookkeeper |
Information on Past and Future Conferences:
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