The Environmental Education Council of Ohio (EECO) provided leadership for the development of an Environmental Literacy Plan for Ohio by convening an Advisory Group to begin drafting the Plan. The group includes representatives from Ohio Department of Education (ODE), Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA), Ohio Leave No Child Inside Collaboratives, and the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association. The Ohio Leave No Child Inside Collaboratives’ Report on Ohio’s Initiative to Reconnect Children with Nature, national environmental education guidelines (NAAEE, 2004) and Ohio’s Best Environmental Education Practices are among the resources used to develop this Environmental Literacy Plan.

THE GOALS OF OHIO’S ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY PLAN ARE:
I. Prepare those studying to be educators to incorporate EE into their teaching
throughout their career
II. Help classroom teachers and educators in other settings enhance and expand their
use of environmental education
III. Provide a variety of experiences that increase student environmental literacy
and contribute to healthy lifestyles
IV. Encourage youth and adults to participate in outdoor environmental activities and gain
an understanding of conservation, recreation, and preservation
V. Gather evidence that documents increases in environmental literacy and
environmentally friendly behavior