Looking to Expand Your Skills as an Environmental Educator?

Willow Bend will be hosting the Arizona Association for Environmental Education’s “Excellence in Environmental Education” workshop on Saturday, November 14^th from 8.30am – 12.30pm at Willow Bend Environmental Education Center 703 E Sawmill Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Workshop: Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education

The Arizona Association for Environmental Education is pleased to offer a half-day workshop to introduce the Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education to all those who teach about the environment.

Through this workshop, you will:

• Learn about the project, Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education: a product of the North American Association for Environmental Education
• Understand the six areas of environmental education as supported through the Guidelines
• Begin preparation toward your own Environmental Education Certification as an environmental educator and apply for a scholarship to waive the certification fee
• Receive the full five book set of the Guidelines to utilize in your work and a CEU certificate

This introductory workshop is designed for all those who consider themselves environmental educators, whether in classrooms, non-formal or informal settings.

Registration required. Call Willow Bend 928.779.1745

Join the City of Flagstaff, Willow Bend and multiple community partners for National Make a Difference Day. We will be restoring Frances Short Pond, Flagstaff’s beloved fishing, Watchable Wildlife, and Environmental Education site!

WHEN and WHERE: October 24th at Frances Short Pond (located at the very northern end of Aztec St in Downtown Flagstaff). The day will begin at 8:30 am with a safety talk and doughnuts and will conclude at 1:30 pm with a free pizza lunch and a raffle.

WHAT: Volunteer projects for the day include removing a chain link fence, trimming trees, removing invasive species, picking up litter, repairing the outdoor classroom and Veit cabin, and maintaining area trails. Bring boots, sunscreen, gloves, and water.

KIDS WELCOME: Willow Bend, together with Friends of Flagstaff’s Future, will be facilitating kids activities and art projects throughout the day! Kids art projects featuring of the pond, wildlife, and water conservation will be collected and displayed at City Hall during December First Friday (December 4th 2015).

To volunteer join us any time throughout the day or contact Betsy Emery at 928-213-2154 or eemery@flagstaffaz.gov with any questions! Check for updates and weather alerts on the event’s Facebook page.

The Coconino Plateau Watershed Partnership & Willow Bend Environmental Education Center are launching the 6^th Annual Water Ethic Contest!

Calling all 4^th Grade classes throughout Northern Arizona to participate in a contest demonstrating the principles of responsible water use through artwork and essays!

Submissions must be submitted by November 13^th, 2015. The Watershed Partnership’s Public Outreach Committee will choose a first, second, and third place winner, based on essay and artwork.

Winning students will receive prizes! Classes to which the winning students belong will be treated to an in-class party, including a pizza party for the 1^st place student, a ice-cream social for 2^nd place, and a popcorn party for 3^rd. Teachers of winning entries will receive an award of $300, $200, or $100.

In addition, all participating classes will be rewarded with “water super hero” tools and all submitted art work will be exhibited at Flagstaff City Hall during the December Artwalk event (December 4th 2015). Selected submissions will be used in promoting water stewardship throughout Northern Arizona.

DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL AND FUN WITH YOUR STUDENTS

For more information download Poster Contest Guidelines 2016, Official Contest Entry Form 2016, and Water Ethic Contest Letter 2016.

Let’s get creative, let’s conserve water!

On September 21st the Arizona Community Foundation of Flagstaff hosted its Annual Grant Awards Ceremony at High Country Conference Center. The room was packed with Flagstaff’s amazing non-profits, Community Foundation staff, and  program and grant partners.  One-by-one grants were awarded in each category, from K-12 Education to Social Services and Health.

Willow Bend was honored to receive a generous grant from the Community Foundation, the Geo Fund, and W.L Gore and Associates.

The funds will go towards our new “Urban Trails and Community Connections: Linking Flagstaff through Schools, Trails, and the Rio de Flag”.  The project provides 200 elementary and middle-school students with over 220 hours of environmental education programming. Classroom presentations, field experiences, and service-learning projects will engage students and teachers with local ecosystems found along the Rio de Flag and Flagstaff Urban Trail System.

Thank you!

On September 26^th the Coconino County Sustainable Building Program, in partnership with the City of Flagstaff Sustainability Program, and Willow Bend Environmental Education Center hosted the Annual Sustainable Building Tour as part of the Flagstaff Festival of Science.
This year’s tour theme of “Exploring New Horizons with Sustainable Building,” provided a fun and unique opportunity to see homes and buildings that have implemented sustainability through design, materials, systems, and living practices.

The tour featured passive solar design, energy and water efficient systems and appliances, greywater and rainwater reuse, and construction methods such as local wood, cinder block, cordwood, insulated concrete forms and strawbale.

The annual, self-guided tour starts at Willow Bend Environmental Education Center. The Center was hustling and bustling with curious visitors walking through and learning about our strawbale building. Jim Corning from Prometheus talked about our solar panels and energy.

Willow Bend staff and volunteers talked about the Center’s design, orientation, Xeriscaping, ventilation, and more. Kids and kids at heart had lots of fun participating in Willow Bend’s new scavenger hunt and the City of Flagstaff Sustainability Program were on site with recycling information and games.

We had over 150 tour participants! If you missed it, make sure you come next year.

On September 26^th the Coconino National Forest, together with multiple partners, co-hosted an event celebrating National Public Lands Day.

The event included a volunteer service project enlarging the beach areas of Upper Lake Mary by spreading gravel in between boat ramps.

Willow Bend had a table with fun interactive activities including a watershed model complete with snow, rain, dams, houses, and animals. The model demonstrates how water flows in and out of the watershed. Kids had a great time putting snow on the peaks and melting it down the slopes with spray bottles, creating dams with clay to divert water to farms, and dropping cars into overflowing canals. We had a great opportunity to talk to other organizations in Flagstaff and inform local residents about Willow Bend’s programs and events.

The Flagstaff Festival of Science was a fantastic exploration of the various science based projects and agencies working and studying in Northern Arizona. The Festival was kick
started on Saturday, September 19^th at Science in the Park. Located at Wheeler Park in downtown Flagstaff, the event had activities from a plethora of organizations including Willow Bend Environmental Education Center.

Willow Bend’s table was staffed by Val and Cassandra, and new Willow Bend Interns Helena and James. Our activities included a wildlife game matching items from such as horns, quills, and bones to the corresponding picture of the animal. Willow Bend also brought along their greater Flagstaff 3D Terrain Model and spray bottles to illustrate the movement of water on our landscape. kids and adults alike had a great time and was a wonderful opportunity to educate the public and get them interested in our environment.

On Saturday September 5^th , Willow Bend Environmental Education Center, in partnership with Sierra Club, USGS, Arizona Trail Association, and Seeds of Stewardship Program, hosted the Annual “Colorado River: Fish and Watershed” event as part of the Colorado River Days Flagstaff Celebration.

The event was a huge success (even with rainy weather)!

The USGS set up LIVE fish tanks outside Willow Bend and provided information about native and invasive fish. Participants not only learned about fish, but also got to touch them! Which was a huge hit among kids and adults alike.

Inside the Center, Willow Bend focused on water education and our interns and volunteers played the water cycle game with the kids. We of course also had our 3D Terrain Model
out, walked visitors through the “A Drop of Water Display”, and helped kids “fish” the Colorado river.

The Sierra Club made nature journals with kids and Arizona Trail Association and Seeds of Stewardship Program facilitated their “How mining contamination moves through watershed” activity.

Thanks to all our partners and supporters for making this event possible. We look forward to next year!

Willow Bend is excited to announce the selection of Moran Henn as our new Executive Director!

Henn is very passionate about environmental education and comes to Willow Bend with over 15 years of experience working for governmental and state agencies, non-profits, and grassroots organizations. “I regularly attended the Center’s events with my own children and always loved this place and its programs. I feel so fortunate and honored to take on the Director position” says Henn.

Holly Taylor, Board Treasurer and former Board President welcomed Henn at an Open House event held at the Center last Wednesday (September 9^th). “We are ecstatic to have Moran join the Willow Bend team. We believe she brings great energy, experience, and commitment to the Organization’s mission”.

City Manager, Josh Copley and County Supervisor Art Babbott were also present at the event and, among others, congratulated Henn on her new role and enjoyed touring the Center and the exhibits.“Congratulations to Moran and Willow Bend” said Vice Mayor Barotz, who was not able to attend the event but expressed her support for environmental education.

At the event Henn shared her vision for the Center and invited Willow Bend partners and supporters to meet. “Over the next couple of months I plan to meet with as many of the Center’s  community partners, former board members, and supporters to learn about the Center’s history and discuss my vision and opportunities for engagement” said Henn. “When asked if they know Willow Bend, I want every child in Flagstaff to say of course I do, I love it!” concluded Henn.

Rusty Tweed, Willow Bend’s former Executive Director, has taken a new position with Woodson Engendering in April (2015) and we wish him luck on his new endeavor.