PLANT CAMP 2012
June 17 - 21
The Florida Invasive Plant Education Initiative is the first of its kind to provide intensive in-service training about invasive plants for Florida science teachers (i.e., upper elementary, middle and high school levels). This annual 5-day workshop, held in mid-June, includes field trips and rigorous hands-on plant identification activities to provide teachers with greater background knowledge on the topic and to generate interest in the curriculum we’ve been developing. Teachers also earn 32 hours of professional development points. So far, more than 180 teachers have completed our full PLANT CAMP training and at least 1,200 more teachers have been introduced to the materials/lessons as a result graduates sharing what they’ve learned with their colleagues.
It is hoped that as a result of this collaboration, we can begin to give young people a better understanding of the challenges we face from invasive species and provide them with the tools they need to become informed and responsible environmental stewards as adults.
The workshop is an annual event of the Florida Invasive Plant Education Initiative – an outreach program designed for Florida educators. Both are made possible by the Invasive Plant Management Section of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in partnership with UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants.
