Earth Camp: Conservation Stewards for a New Generation

Researchers with SIROW’s Women in Science and Engineering Program recently completed a program evaluation of the Earth Camp Program. Earth Camp is an experiential environment education program that is a collaboration between Coronado National Forest, National Forest Foundation, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and Arizona Conservation Corps.  During the 2019-20 academic year, 35 high school students from the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program in the Tucson Unified School District had the opportunity to participate in 3-day long Earth Camp programs. The program evaluation conducted by WISE aimed to understand how program participated impacted students’ knowledge and interest in the local environment; environmental attitudes and self-efficacy; and commitment to environmental stewardship.  Quantitative and qualitative analysis of survey data indicated that the program is successful at increasingly environmental knowledge and interest, fostering self-efficacy and positive environmental attitudes, and compelling students to want to engage in conservation and outdoor recreation after the program.  No significant difference was found in how different demographic groups were impacted.

A webinar held at the end of July provided an opportunity for WISE staff to present data from the evaluation to people from around the country engaged in environmental education and conservation efforts.  We hope that this evaluation will help Earth Camp staff sustain and grow the program to impact even more youth in the future. 

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