Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, a nonprofit organization in northern Minnesota, is helping non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in China expand their environmental education efforts in the country to promote people’s connection to nature.
The National Committee on United States-China Relations — a nonprofit that works to build lasting relationships between citizens in the U.S. and China — selected Wolf Ridge to advise Chinese NGOs to help build and sustain environmental education centers in the country.
Pete Smerud, executive director at Wolf Ridge, will travel through China and Taiwan from January 2 through January 15 to advise on how China’s environmental NGO’s can create sustainable facilities and educational materials, experiential educational techniques and staff training methods.
“I’m honored and humbled to be able to share the wisdom and lessons learned in Wolf Ridge’s almost 50 years of connecting more than 700,000 students to nature through hands-on field study,” said Smerud. “China’s recognition of the importance of educating students about the natural world and how to interact with and how to care for it into the future is inspiring.”
In 2019, the Chinese government began a policy requiring that their nature reserves offer environmental education experiences to help visitors build deeper connections to the natural world. The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations brought Chinese environmental education specialists to the U.S., with the goal of helping them discover what makes our environmental education efforts successful and sustainable.
Chen Yang, Deputy Director of Public Education for six nature reserves in Shenzhen, China, spent four weeks at Wolf Ridge in the spring of 2019. Fully immersed in the outdoor learning that takes place at the center, she lived with the teaching staff, participated in hands-on experiential activities with students, observed classes and teacher training methods, and got a behind-the-scenes look at what makes Wolf Ridge successful.
In total, Chen Yang visited thirty environmental education centers around the world in search of a model to bring home to China. Upon her return, she recommended that China’s NGOs’ environmental education efforts follow the Wolf Ridge model with its focus on hands-on, immersive experiences in nature.
“We hope this trip and educational experience will turn into an exchange, and that we will be able to send alums of our nature program to China to assist with curriculum and program development,” said Smerud.
Smerud’s travels are managed through the Professional Fellows Program, which is part of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is funding the trip.
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