Education & Outreach

The challenge: We can’t protect what we don’t understand. Education and outreach are the keys to the conservation of Southern grasslands and are the drivers behind change. If we want to conserve grasslands for future generations then we have to make a case for why they are important and we must convey that message to the public, whether it’s having a one-on-one conversation with a farmer as to the importance of a small remnant prairie in the corner of his pasture or training the next generation of grassland conservationists.

SGI’s Role: SGI will offer a multitude of different programs targeting all age levels and segments of society. Through our grants program we will provide funding for grassland-related educational activities to our partners across the Southeast. Priorities for funding focus on those educational activities that are strongly connected to or have the ability to guide on-the-ground conservation, including:

• experiential learning opportunities such as fieldtrips and workshops
• innovative technologies such as mobile app development & online resources
• publication of high-quality articles, books, and brochures
• producing videos and documentaries
• hosting meetings among stakeholders at local and regional scales, including the biennial Southeastern Grasslands Symposium beginning in 2018

Shovel Ready Projects: In addition to supporting the needs of our partners, SGI will lead efforts to develop an online website and database dedicated to the Southern grasslands that will be both educational and a tool for on-the-ground conservation.