Ambos Nogales Ecological Education Project (ANPEE)

AMOUNT: $15,000 US

PROJECT LEADERS: Diane Austin and Jesús Burgos Guardado

INSTITUTIONS: University of Arizona and Instituto Tecnológico de Nogales

There is considerable enthusiasm and commitment to improving the quality of the environment and the quality of education in Ambos Nogales, but the community lacks basic knowledge of the area's ecological systems, the historic and political context within which these systems have evolved, and how to address existing problems. Currently, there is insufficient coordination among educational and other institutions that desire or provide environmental education opportunities. The Ambos Nogales Ecological Education Project has been designed to establish the foundation for binational, locally-relevant, coordinated, and sustainable ecological education programs that link schools to neighborhoods and community organizations, involve youth and adults, and meet the needs of Ambos Nogales residents seeking to improve their communities. The project, managed by a steering committee of representatives from the collaborating organizations, proceeded in five phases. The project began with a review and evaluation of existing materials, programs, and learning sites, conducted by faculty, students, and community educators. It ended with workshops to share the products and information that were produced, such as a catalog of materials, programs, and sites; written guides to ecological education and service learning organized to match local needs and resources; two binational, bilingual, region-specific ecological learning modules with accompanying student materials; a project Web site; and a series of workshops through which participants, both providers and recipients, worked together to explore and evaluate existing and modified programs and materials.