When I first came across eePRO in 2019, community was far from my mind. In fact, I was far, far away from anywhere. I lived and worked close to the Arctic Circle, and every mid-September, I said “See you later” to my role as a park ranger just as the snow crept down the mountains. Winters were my “off-season.” And I was stuck feeling a little cut off professionally.

One day, my late-night internet searches led me to eePRO, NAAEE’s online platform for environmental education resources and networking. As the website lit up my screen, scrolling through lists of Learning, Resource, and Opportunity posts sustained me. I’d return to summer feeling motivated and equipped with new insights and practices to apply to my work as an interpretive park ranger. Over time, eePRO became more than a website I visited for webinars and resources. It’s where I connected with like-minded professionals on all sorts of topics, from advocacy to connecting to nature and more. Eventually, I landed a job at NAAEE and now guide the platform that has informed me so much in my career. 

Others Were Finding Their Way, Too

For the spring 2021 semester, Indiana University in Bloomington hired Sarah Wolf. Her first time teaching at a university was made all the more difficult by a pandemic. As she was browsing the eePRO Higher Education Group, Sarah found members wrestling with the same challenges. There was also an invitation to join biweekly calls to meet with other higher education professionals.

“The Higher Ed Group has been a lifesaver! The atmosphere is very supportive; I’ve even reached out to some instructors about assignments they’ve talked about.” —Sarah Wolf

Higher Ed Group moderators had been hosting calls not just to talk about the challenges and opportunities of moving environmental education courses online, but to stay connected during a moment when isolation felt especially heavy.

If Any of This Sounds Familiar

If you’ve ever found yourself searching for ideas, reassurance, or connection, you’re not alone. eePRO has always been shaped by people showing up with questions as much as answers. In Groups, educators figure things out in real time. Blog posts chronicle what’s working in our environmental education efforts and what we learn from the challenges. Webinars surface important conversations and innovative solutions for professionals working in all kinds of roles. Over the past ten years, this forward-facing, collaborative spirit has endured.

If eePRO has played even a small role in your own journey, or if you’re still figuring out how it might, we’d love to hear from you. You can help shape the future of eePRO by sharing your story, adding your voice to a group conversation, or stepping into a leadership role as a group moderator.

This year marks ten years of eePRO—ten years of shared resources, late-night searches, thoughtful discussions, and peer-to-peer connections. Follow along as we use this anniversary to listen, reflect, and look ahead together. Throughout the year, we’ll highlight stories, resurface popular webinars and resources that have stood the test of time, and create new ways to connect as we continue our collective work to create healthy and sustainable communities around the world. After all, we are stronger together.

Here Are Some Ways to Get Involved: