National Environmental Learning Center Summit at River Bend Farm

This January, The Ecology School co-hosted the Residential Environmental Learning Center (RELC) Summit with the Association of Nature Center Administrators (ANCA). This summit, which occurs every other year and is hosted by different RELCs each time, is an opportunity for leaders in the field to gather to share resources, collaborate, and network.

While originally planned to be the first big event at River Bend Farm this January, the pandemic brought the conference to a virtual platform. Working together ANCA, The Ecology School, and the small planning team pivoted this event to be a three-day virtual summit. Over 90 people attended the open space summit and were able to share on topics ranging from program shifts resulting from COVID, staff recruiting, and equity and inclusion practices. The event kicked off with a welcome that included sharing the River Bend Farm Cocktail recipe that participants were encouraged to make at home. As soon as it is possible, The Ecology School will host the next RELC Summit, likely January 2022. We can’t wait to have our colleagues from across the country experience River Bend in person!

““The Ecology School micro-internship offered a wide range of experiences within a professional work atmosphere. Whether it was analyzing data in excel or researching land acknowledgment methods, I feel that I learned a lot and have grown a stronger passion for environmental education.””