New York State

Outdoor Education Association

NEW MEMBER PACKET

TAKING learning
outdoors
Thank you for joining the New
York State Outdoor Education
Association! NYSOEA has existed
for over half a century with
hundreds of proud individual and
organizational members. This
packet provides ideas and contacts
to enhance the breadth and depth
of your membership experience.
Welcome aboard, and we look
forward to hearing from and
seeing you soon.
What is NYSOEA?
Established in 1968, NYSOEA is a New York State non-profit, all
volunteer organization supporting outdoor and environmental
education, outdoor recreation, and interpretive services.
Members make up a broad network of students and professionals
working and learning together from classroom teachers and
college professors to naturalists and interpreters, from students
and youth leaders to parents and outdoor recreation specialists.
All of us are dedicated to education and the outdoors.
MISSION
NYSOEA is a professional organization that promotes
interdisciplinary life-long learning in, for, and about the outdoors
and seeks to inspire appreciation of the environment by all
people.
BENEFITS
ANNUAL CONFERENCE: Provides members opportunities to learn,
share and network. Workshops, exhibits and speakers offer wide-
ranging curricula, methods and materials for outdoor education.
REGIONAL EVENTS: Each of five NYSOEA geographic regions in
the state sponsors its own events throughout the year. Check
nysoea.org/events.
AWARDS: Annual presentations recognize individuals and
organizations that contribute to outdoor education and
environmental protection.
SCHOLARSHIPS: The Julian Smith Award enables two students
to attend our annual conference. Additional funding assists
members in attending other appropriate functions.
CONSULTING SERVICES: Provided to members with special
questions, needs or problems.
PUBLICATIONS: Members receive a subscription to PATHWAYS,
our quarterly print and electronic newsletter. Affiliates receive
subscriptions to PATHWAYS, GREEN TEACHER and NORTHERN
WOODLANDS magazines.
 What are the key events hosted by NYSOEA?
Annual Conference: The signature event for NYSOEA is the
annual fall conference. Attended by educators, managers,
directors, and staff of organizations from across the state and
nation, the conference is an excellent opportunity for networking,
attending workshops, participating in outdoor activities, and
supporting outdoor education in New York State. As conference
locations rotate throughout the five regions of NYS (Central,
Eastern, Metro, Northern, and Western), it also provides a great
way to learn more about various parts of the state.
Environmental Educator Activity Exchange: This generally takes
place in early February in the Western Region, where educators
gather, network, and exchange activities and lesson plans. We
hope to share a good portion of those lessons and activities on
http://nysoea.org and expect that other regions will adopt similar
networking/sharing opportunities in coming years.
Winter Weekend: Usually held in February, Winter Weekend
is an opportunity for learning, networking, and celebrating the
outdoors in the season of snow and animal tracking. Activities
include outdoor environmental education, a trade blanket,
broomball (weather permitting), and indoor crafting. The current
location for Winter Weekend is the Taconic Outdoor Education
Center (Cold Spring, NY) in the Metro Region.
How do I stay connected with what is currently happening in
NYSOEA and in outdoor education throughout New York State?
Like the NYSOEA Facebook page
Visit http://nysoea.org
Maple Celebration: Every March at the Fresh Air Fund’s Sharpe
Reservation (Fishkill, New York), the Maple Celebration provides
a great opportunity to learn more about the NYS tree, the Sugar
Maple, through tapping demonstrations, syrup samplings, and
other tree-rific activities. Waffles sold at this event support
the Brother Yusuf Scholarship Fund that sends deserving
applicants from throughout NYS to Department of Environmental
Conservation summer camps.
Regional EE Weeks: Each region hosts at least one event
in mid-late April to coincide with Earth Day and/or National
Environmental Education week. Examples include hikes, cleanups,
restoration projects, etc.
Other regional events (hikes, meet-and-greets, potlucks):
Sometimes, smaller networking events will be held within a
region. Recent examples: a Sunday afternoon hike followed
by a visit to a local brewery; an interpretive walk around John
Burroughs’ “Slabsides” property.
There is also the opportunity for virtual gathering and sharing
through outlets such as the NYSOEA Book Club, which allows
participation through a Facebook group and conference call, in
addition to in-person meetings.
Pathways, the quarterly publication of the
NYS Outdoor Education Association
 How can I get more involved?
One of the best ways to get more involved in NYSOEA is to join a committee. Committees help shape the organization and move it
towards specific outcomes. For many, they offer the opportunity to network and build skillsets that complement and enhance personal
goals. For retirees, committees offer the opportunity to help guide members who have less experience.
To join a particular committee (see descriptions below), sign up at the annual conference or send an email to the committee chair. Visit
http://nysoea.org/committees/ for more information.
COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE:
The Committee’s primary role is to keep NYSOEA members
aware and informed. It ensures that the PATHWAYS newsletter
arrives in your inbox four times a year and edits, composes, and
solicits content for this publication. In addition, the Committee
oversees the website, social media (Facebook, YouTube, and other
emerging technologies), and makes sure that event information
goes out to members, as well as other important correspondence
such as the Annual Appeal (currently held February-April) and the
Annual Report.
Contact: pathways@nysoea.org
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE: The Development Committee
solicits donations of raffle and auction items for our annual
conference. Live auction items support the organization’s
endowment. Raffle items support the Herm Weinskotten
scholarship fund. In the future, the Committee also hopes to
pursue grants and sponsorships to support NYSOEA initiatives.
Contact: vp_administration@nysoea.org
DIVERSITY COMMITTEE: This Committee finds ways to increase
the diversity of the NYSOEA membership by:
•Overseeing the Brother Yusuf campership program.
• Identifying avenues to bring greater diversity to NYSOEA
through speakers, workshops, and collaborating with
organizations that promote the outdoors to diverse
audiences.
Contact: diversitycommittee@nysoea.org
“NYSOEA has nurtured my growth
from someone new to the EE field to
someone in a leadership role.” –JK
ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY COMMITTEE: The most recent
movement to develop an Environmental Literacy Plan for New
York State is the focus of this committee, and includes:
• Establishing relationships with superintendents, school
administrations, and the NYS education department.
• Promoting Environmental Literacy in NYS.
Contact: environmentalliteracy@nysoea.org
ANNUAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE: The Conference
Committee organizes and arranges the annual conference, with
help from the following subcommittees:
• Auction and raffle • Evaluations
• Registration • Coordinator for off-site
• Conference booklet field trips (if applicable)
• Workshops • Community service (if
• Exhibitors and Ads applicable)
• Hospitality • Awards
• AV and room set-up
The Committee meets 6 or more times in a year prior to the
conference. Progress reports are shared by the subcommittee
chairs at Board meetings for one year prior to the conference or
the committee chair reports to the VP of Programs, who reports
to the Board.
Contact: conferencecommittee(year)@nysoea.org
“NYSOEA and its members have given
me so much that soon after I joined I
felt the need to give back. I was given
the opportunity to take a seat on the
board and that has been another great
experience.” -EV
 What are other conferences/related organizations I can get involved in?
CORNELL MASTER NATURALIST PROGRAM: The program, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR INTERPRETATION: For more
which is based out of Cornell’s Department of Natural Resources, information about the organization and the conference, visit
has both education and volunteer elements. At the beginning, all http://www.interpnet.com
participants attend 3-day immersion training with a mix of indoor
lectures and outdoor activities. Over 250 volunteers from across
CHILDREN AND NATURE NETWORK: For more information
the state are currently actively engaged in the Master Naturalist
about this organization, which has close ties to Richard Louv and
Volunteer Program. Every participant has the opportunity
other notable thought leaders in environmental education, visit
to pursue volunteer work within a broad range of interests.
http://www.childrenandnature.org
Periodically, Master Naturalists from around the state come
together for a special volunteer weekend focused on a particular
conservation issue and working together toward a solution. If you A FEW OTHER RELATED CONFERENCES:
would like to become a Master Naturalist volunteer and share in • Early Childhood: http://naturalstart.org/
these experiences, please visit the website at http://blogs.cornell. • Northeast Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies: http://
edu/cerp/master-naturalist-program/ www.neafwa.org/conference.html
• Association of Zoos and Aquariums: https://www.aza.org/
conferences-meetings
NAAEE: NYSOEA is an affiliate of the North American Association
• New York State Wildlife Rehabilitation Council: http://nyswrc.
for Environmental Education (NAAEE). The organization holds
org/annual-conference/
an annual conference in locations throughout the United States,
Canada, and Mexico. NYSOEA was the host organization for this
conference when it was held in Buffalo-Niagara in 2010. You may
also wish to attend conferences held by other NAAEE affiliates.
ANJEE (New Jersey) and PAEE (Pennsylvania) host wonderful
annual conferences that may even be in day trip/commuter
distance for some NYSOEA members.
For more information, visit- https://naaee.org/conference

“The campfire, live music, and “Now after a couple of years of being an
social gatherings are all wonderful active member, I have a much stronger
opportunities to build lifelong EE network and contact members
connections with educators from outside of the yearly events - sharing
all over the state and expand my contacts, asking questions, and feeling
networking community.” -MH connected to a larger community.” -SC
 New York State Outdoor Education Association
c/o Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies
NE
WY

P.O. Box 2000

TIO N IN C.
O R K S TAT

SUNY Cortland
Cortland, New York 13045
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