This project provides funding to high country conservation center (HC3) to implement its project, which will design, demonstrate, and disseminate environmental education practices, methods, and…

This Project Grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Environmental Education Grants Program (CFDA 66.951) provides $129,450.00 in funding to the High Country Conservation Center (HC3) from February 1, 2025 to January 31, 2027. The project aims to increase environmental literacy and encourage environmentally-beneficial behaviors in Summit County, Colorado through two main components: (1) educating 550 7th grade students on water conservation through the "Water Warriors" curriculum, and (2) creating three water-smart demonstration gardens that will serve as outdoor classrooms for 200 community members across four water conservation workshops. Additionally, HC3 will conduct 12 site visits with homeowners' associations, impacting an estimated 4,774 residents. HC3 plans to sub-award funds to several partner organizations, including Keystone Science School, Colorado State University Extension, Blue River Watershed Group, Friends of the Dillon Ranger District, and WaterNow Alliance, to support their environmental education and community engagement efforts.

This project provides funding to high country conservation center (HC3) to implement its project, which will design, demonstrate, and disseminate environmental education practices, methods, and techniques, that will serve to increase environmental literacy and encourage behavior that will benefit the environment in summit county, colorado. The grantee will do this by program will focus on educating our community through two main components: (1) educating 7TH grade students through the water warriors curriculum, and (2) creating beautiful, water smart demonstration gardens that will serve as a model for water conservation and an outdoor classroom for community water conservation workshops. Activities:this project will increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues in summit county, colorado and provide students, teachers, community members the skills necessary to make informed decisions and to take responsible actions. Activities to be performed during this project period include: -water conservation education for 7TH grade students will reach a total of 275 students per year, for a total of 550 7TH grade students during the two-year grant period. -HC3 will engage 300 volunteers during the grant period to install and maintain the water smart demonstration gardens. -HC3 will conduct 4 workshops throughout the grant period on water conservation, held in the demonstration gardens, that will reach 200 people during the grant period. -HC3 will complete 12 homeowners' associations (HOA) site visits during the grant period, impacting an estimated 4,774 people who live and work in those housing complexes. Subrecipient:HC3 plans to award sub grants to the following recipients, all of whom are 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations and meet all eligibility requirements: #9679; keystone science school will be granted $5,000 over two years to support their water conservation education programs in summit county. #9679; colorado state university extension summit county will be granted $5,000 over two years to support the creation and maintenance of water smart gardens as spaces for ongoing community education. #9679; both blue river watershed group and friends of the dillon ranger district will be granted $2,500 each over two years to support community events where they will facilitate informal conversations about water management in colorado and educate our community on water conservation. #9679; waternow alliance will be granted $5,000 over two years to provide formal community education sessions on water management and conservation.outcomes:IT is anticipated that this project will result in the following deliverables: -staff will teach the water warriors curriculum to students, which is focused on creating good stewards of our water resources. -three water smart demonstration gardens will be planted in summit county in high traffic community areas. These gardens will serve as outdoor classrooms during the grant period and for years to come. -water smart toolkits will be developed. -4 community water education workshops will be held by HC3 in the demonstration gardens during the grant period. -12 HOA site visits will be conducted by HC3 staff during the two-year grant period. Expected outcomes of the project include reducing the amount of water that is diverted from the watershed for use in irrigation, thus increasing the resiliency of our community in the face of climate change and an increasing demand for water. The intended beneficiaries include summit county, CO students, teachers, and community members.