Amy works for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation. She currently coordinates the Interpretive services in Southeastern Massachusetts.

It’s time to explore the past as we continue with our theme of “MEES @ 30…Exploring Our Past, Present, and Future.”  We encourage you to take a few minutes to explore the past events and successes in Environmental Education with Edward J. McCrea’s article, “The Roots of Environmental Education: How the Past Supports the Future.”  Be sure to take note of the EE happenings in the mid-seventies, when MEES was founded.

This issue also gave us the opportunity to seek out some of the original founders of MEES.  Look for founder Elissa Landre’s memories about the beginning of MEES.  We’ve included a few overviews of EE topics that relate to the past: the American Chestnut tree and Eastern Woodland Indians.  And, you’ll find a review of a new resource guide, “The ABCs of Ecology.”  

Lastly, submit your own information to MEES in a number of ways.  In this issue, you’ll find a list of the Conference themes since 1977.  We are missing a few, so help us fill in the gaps.  We’ve also included a link to a listing of all MEES Board Members.  If you or anyone you know has served on the MEES Board of Directors, please add this information to the list.

You can also submit your own stories, articles, and activities to the Observer. It is a great way to share your thoughts, insights, and environmental education activities, while providing other educators with great resources. Visit our website for more details and upcoming Observer themes.

Amy Nelson, on behalf of The MEES Board   

Welcome to the Observer! 

Below you will find article titles and introductions.  Please click on the article titles to read the full article.  You will be asked to log-in.

Feature Articles

Memories of a MEES Founder
by Elissa Landre

I’m pretty sure I threw out any papers about MEES quite a while ago, thinking, “Who would care?”  So when Amy Nelson asked me to write a short piece about the founding of the Massachusetts Environmental Education Society, I started to look through old journals and random writings.  I found a tattered manila folder entitled MEES, recycled to hold papers on ornithology. 

Searching for all Board Members!

Enjoy a walk down memory lane... MEES Conference Themes since 1977

The Roots of Environmental Education: How the Past Supports the Future
By Edward J. McCrea
Used with permission from NAAEE.

A Tree on the Rebound
By Lois Breault-Melican

The New York chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) did an outstanding job in its creation of Charlie Chestnut: A Tree On The Rebound, which begins in sadness at the loss of the magnificent, wondrously beneficial tree, and ends in the hope that it will soon be restored to its natural range in the eastern forests of the United States.

Conference Notes: New for March 2008

In order to meet MA Department of Education requirements and facilitate your need to achieve 10 PDPs, we will issue a certificate indicating you have completed 10 hours of science learning to teachers who attend the full conference and submit an article or lesson plan to the Observer by [date posted at conference].

The article / lesson plan must show how you have or how you will implement what you learned at one or more workshops during the Going Green conference, and should be at least 1 but no more than 3 pages in length in Times New Roman, 12pt font. 

Book Reviews

The ABC's of Ecology
Published by Ecology Education, Inc., Saco, ME.  2006.