Environmental Education Awareness Program, Chicago Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden is one of the world’s great living museums and conservation science centers. Situated on 385 acres on and around nine islands, the Garden caters to more than one million visitors a year. In 1987, members of the Winnetka Garden Club collaborated with the Garden to introduce conservation education into their youth teaching programs. The Environmental Education Awareness Program (EEAP,) a substantive environmental science curriculum, was developed to teach students how life depends on the quality of the environment and the interdependence of all living species.

The 1990 Founders Fund Award was given for program development, guidebooks, teacher development and seed money for a student conservation project. EEAP was successful because it dovetailed with state mandates for science curriculum. The Winnetka Garden Club supported the EEAP from 1987 until 2002 when the course was retired by the Chicago Botanic Garden.

This program helped frame the robust educational offerings which are available at the Garden. And today, because of its science and education expertise, conservation focus and research collaborations, the Chicago Botanic Garden is uniquely equipped to address issues important to the natural habitats that sustain our world.