Search

The authors explored the influences of 3- and 5-day residential environmental education programs at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont (TN) on participants' connections with nature, environmental stewardship, interest in learning and discovery, and awareness of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and biodiversity. The authors found significant positive, short-term effects on all outcomes of interest. Also, 3-month delayed posttests indicated retention of significant gains in environmental stewardship and awareness, whereas other gains faded. Longer stays and active engagement of visiting teachers in on-site instruction enhanced most outcomes. The authors discuss the influences of previsit preparation and group size on participants. (Contains 6 tables and 3 notes.)

This article presents a framework for developing internally sustainable evaluation systems for environmental education organizations, although the framework can be applied to other types of organizations. The authors developed a sustainable evaluation framework (SEF) with the intent of creating an evaluation system that could be self-administered by the staff of an environmental education organization in perpetuity. Key components of the framework include that it is utilization-focused (designed specifically for the needs of its users), participatory (empowering the users at each step of the design and implementation process), theory-driven (employing logic modeling and consulting relevant literature for concept clarification), and consumer-based (directly addressing the needs of probable audiences of evaluation results). The article illustrates the evaluation framework and its key outcomes using a case study from the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont (GSMIT), where the authors facilitated the development of an evaluation system. In addition to the creation of a credible, adaptable, and sustainable system, outcomes of the framework's implementation included clarification of organizational goals, enhanced organizational commitment from staff, professional development, and new prospects for adaptive management. (Contains 3 figures and 4 footnotes.)

The article focuses on the history of the Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (CAAR), discussing its beginnings and evolution, including changes in editorial leadership and the expansion of its scope to encompass a broader range of American taxa. It also highlights the contributions of key individuals involved in the CAAR's development and publication.