First Quarter Grants Awarded

The Education Department was pleased to award its first rounds of grants for both the Packing with PEAK and Tools for Teaching programs. Over 15 PEAK packs as well as educational materials were awarded to Leave No Trace community projects. Notable grant recipients included:

- Wonders of Wildlife (WOW), Springfield, MO. WOW is focused on wildlife conservation and serves youth through five outdoor education schools across the state of Missouri. WOW programs use volunteers from various land management agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Leave No Trace related activities will be incorporated into their programs.

-Headwaters Youth Conservation Corps (HYCC), NY. HYCC program conducts environmental restoration projects and education programs each summer. This summer, the Green Summer education program will focus on the theme of Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics with youth ages 5-17. One of the youth will participate in a service project based on what they learned from Leave No Trace.

To learn more about Leave No Trace grants visit:http://lnt.org/programs/grants.php

Service and Leave No Trace Outreach in Northeast Georgia

One of favorite parts of working at Leave No Trace is receiving follow-up stories and photos from our grant recipients. They all have a unique story to tell and the photographs are a visual reminder of how many different ways to Leave No Trace program is used across the country.

Here are some photos from a recent Tools for Teaching grant recipient in northeast Georgia conducting a trail rehabilitation project on over 13 miles of the Chattachoochee National Forest. They also hosted a Leave No Trace awareness program.

This project was a great example of various youth and adult community groups working together. Close to 700 people participated, representing: Boy Scouts of America - Northeast Georgia Council, Chattahoochee Trail Horse Association, Southern Off Road Biking Association and Georgia Appalachian Trail Association.

We love to see photos of your community programs in action! Grant recipients, Master Educators, Trainers, PEAK presentations--many of the Bigfoot Challenges incorporate photo or video elements. Thanks for taking the time to tell us your story. We look forward to hearing from you soon!