Emily Granville, Communications Coordinator
Ever since the establishment of PCCD back in 1956, PCCD’s Board of Directors and staff have put a major emphasis on educating the public. But it isn’t enough to simply tell the community that conservation is important, we must also strive to help them understand why it is important and provide them with the tools and knowledge they need to make more sustainable choices. That’s where our education programs come in! Through education and outreach, staff can reach a wide range of audiences and help spread the mission of the District.
To understand the legacy of the District’s Education & Outreach, I want you to picture a tree. One that grows, adapts, and takes root over time.
Every idea begins as a seed, planted with intention. The intention behind our education programs was simple: to educate landowners on the importance of natural resource conservation. But seeds need the right conditions to take root, which is why it was, and still is, important to understand what the community needs and how we can make conservation education more accessible.
As you’ll learn later in this article, not everyone learns the same way. By offering a variety of programs as well as tailored workshops and events, the District can reach far more of the community than a singular education program could. It is thanks to the seeds planted by previous District educators that our Education Team has grown into what it is today.
As that seed of education began to grow, it began to establish roots. Much like any idea, the District’s education programs needed to go through some trial and error to find what worked. Through these discoveries, we were able to establish core values, partnerships, and a fundamental understanding of how to approach conservation topics. Strong roots help these programs stand the test of time.
If you have gotten the chance to look through some of our past Annual Reports (if not, I recommend checking them out. The District has made some great strides over the years!), then you’ve likely seen our Education & Outreach section.
This section gives you a small glimpse into all the educational events we have participated in throughout the year. These range from tabling events and hikes to workshops and more. If you compare some of our older reports with more recent ones, you’ll notice that many of the programs are similar. Back in 1999 we participated in Envirothon, lead interpretive hikes, and even hosted Municipal Workshops. The District has been doing these educational events for over 25+ years, and we continue to grow and develop them year after year.
Previous educators at the District laid down deep roots for future Education Teams. As we continue to develop these programs, the structure of our curricula, policies, and leadership strengthened, and the District’s Education & Outreach has grown even more. New events, more educational programming, fresh ideas are always on our minds. We have these roots in education that have helped get the District’s name out there and spread our mission. Why not use those roots and keep growing?
As we continue to grow, the goal of District’s Education Team will always be at the forefront: make conservation stewardship accessible to everyone.
We’ve talked a lot about roots, seeds, and growth, but who is responsible for the cultivation of that growth? Who manages the education programs at the District? (Hint: Look at who wrote this article!) As the Communications Coordinator, my role is all about helping the community understand, and connect with, the mission of the District. I’m responsible for spreading the word about our educational programs, coordinating and leading programs, and creating the materials that support those programs.
I am the point person for our education programs, which means I need to know about a lot of different conservation topics to be able to present on them. While it can be a lot of work, helping others understand the importance of environmental stewardship and offering them meaningful ways they can make a difference is incredibly rewarding. Plus, as the person who oversees booking and running our programs, I get to meet so many wonderful people from our community, and through audience participation and questions, I get to learn as well!
But like any good educator, I am not alone. Our Watershed Specialist is a key member of the Education Team and often jumps in to help create and lead programs, especially those that involve our waterways. In many of our programs, we will mention our watersheds, aquifers, and groundwater. During these programs we try to help our audiences realize that we’re all more connected to our waterways than we realize, and even the small choices we make every day can have a big impact on our streams and watersheds. That’s why having a Watershed Specialist with in depth knowledge of local waterways and stream ecology is such a huge advantage. Their expertise helps our audiences see just how important these connections really are!
And when a program calls for more technical expertise, we’re fortunate to have knowledgeable Resource Conservationists who are always willing to step in. We consistently work to connect our educational programs with our technical work so the public can clearly see how the District’s on the ground efforts relate to the conservation topics we share. That’s why, when presenting on subjects like HOA impacts or Best Management Practices, it’s especially valuable to have our technical staff join us. It’s one thing to say the District can help through our technical programs; it’s another to hear directly from the people who do the work every day.
Our roots have been established, our foundation is strong, but we can only continue to grow if we branch out. Education is ever evolving. As our communities and their needs change, so too do our approaches to education. Education doesn’t follow a one‑size‑fits‑all model. What works for one group may not work for another. This is why it is extremely important to adapt teaching styles to match the audience. Remember the goal we mentioned earlier: “make conservation stewardship accessible for all.” That’s exactly what the District is striving for.
While we may run or participate in events similar to what we have done in the past, how we approach conservation education is constantly changing. With new educational tools and standards being developed every day, it is important that we stay up to date as well!
The District began revamping our education programs in 2025 and will continue to finalize them throughout 2026. This includes creating scripts so that our programs remain consistent, putting together new activities for various conservation topics (if you enjoy those colorful spinning wheels, then you’ll love our Pollinator Trivia!), and creating visuals and handouts for further learning.
And the best part? You can help us! While we may be the ones teaching the topics, we still learn a lot from our audiences. With the help of community feedback, we hope to create programs that are both helpful and engaging for all audiences.
If you are interested in booking a program, be sure to check out our education page. We’d love to do a program for you!
