As the COVID-19 crisis continues, it’s become increasingly clear that the entire field of environmental education is extremely at risk.

According to a policy brief released by UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science this past spring, an estimated 11 million students will have lost the opportunity to engage in environmental education by the end of the year. In that same time period, environmental organizations – including IslandWood – will face approximately $600 million in lost revenue, with 30,000 staff members furloughed or laid off. What these numbers don’t represent is the deeper cost – the lost physical and mental benefits of time spent learning outside, the missed opportunities to increase awareness about climate change and stewardship behaviors, the reduced funding for equitable access to outdoor spaces and high-quality education.

Click the link below to to explore the state of our field and the urgent support needed to sustain it.

Read the Full Policy Brief