2026 CAEE Advancing EE Conference

Bring your climate communication skills to life in this one-day pre-conference workshop at CSU Spur. Hosted by Team Climate Resilient Colorado, part of the Earth to Sky Partnership network, this workshop is designed to connect interpreters, educators, and communicators with NASA science, climate research, and effective communication strategies that help make complex topics relevant and meaningful for local communities. 
While this workshop builds on concepts introduced in the Team Climate Resilient Colorado webinar series, all are welcome—whether or not you attended previous sessions. Together, we’ll revisit key ideas through a powerful Colorado story: how climate change is impacting pollinators, and use it as a lens to explore how to translate climate science into clear, engaging, and audience-specific messages.
Email Sarah Grove ([email protected]) to add this session to your conference registration!

Young people are feeling the emotional weight of the climate crisis. How we prepare them for today's reality will shape tomorrow. Climate and water education plays a powerful role for K-12 students across Colorado. While some elements are required in the state academic standards, local school districts ultimately decide what is taught in the classroom. Youth learning opportunities depend heavily on community support, organizational capacity and political will. This 30-minute documentary explores what this looks like in three distinct regions across the state. How do educators, parents, decision-makers and students collectively move from ache to action, in a way that makes climate education accessible for all?

Stay in the room for the next session's brightspot to ask Christi questions!

The Plant Mobile is a program which distributes free native plants at non-traditional outreach venues, like breweries and climbing gyms. This presentation will outline the economics and logistics of germinating plants, the plant species selected, and the educational impacts this program has had on Master Gardener volunteers and Boulder County Residents.

**This session will be shared with one or two other mini, brightspot sessions.

The State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) is an expansive resource on the status of some wildlife populations and habitats in Colorado of greatest concern. This session will cover a new collection of digital resources you can use to bring more conservation content into your programs. The SWAP seeks to amplify lived experiences and empower people, including youth, to take action by intentionally involving those closest to potential solutions. Learn about available data, maps and other tools for locally relevant information that engages your participants  in issues in your community and across our state. You will also have the opportunity to share with Colorado Parks and Wildlife feedback on what resources CPW can provide to most effectively enhance and support the essential work you do. 

Learn how the City of Denver uses a multi-agency approach to protect and improve urban waterways by reimagining infrastructure design and by implementing cutting-edge water quality monitoring technology. Hear how podcasting our environmental messages gave our outreach a fresh sound. Walk away with tips on what makes podcast programs successful.

Ask someone why they might not want to join you on a camping trip– “bugs” is almost guaranteed to make their list of reasons. As outdoor educators and conservationists, we can transform negative outlooks on our invertebrate neighbors, creating a powerful tool for inclusion and investment in conservation.

**Plan on getting outside during this session!

Moving beyond translation, this session explores how bilingual environmental education can cultivate true belonging for multilingual learners. Grounded in practices from Denver Botanic Gardens’ school and camp programs, participants will examine asset-based language strategies, culturally responsive plant connections, and family-inclusive engagement models. Educators will leave with practical tools to design learning environments where multilingual students are empowered as scientists and environmental stewards.

Move beyond the "what" of natural resources to the "who." Using PLT’s Discover Your Urban Forest, we’ll trade field guides for stakeholder perspectives. Learn to facilitate multi-perspective dialogue on land-use and equity. This hands-on session equips any educator to help learners make environmental connections with their home community settings.