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We are delighted to announce we are now accepting reservations for our education programs including the Talking Tree, Eco Explorations, and Climate Kids.

As most teachers know, outdoor classrooms and nature-based learning help students develop critical thinking skills as they work both independently and collaboratively, and as they relate school lessons to their community and the real world. Fun and stimulating experiences in the outdoors inspire students to learn and help create the next generation of conservation minded citizens. Seward Park Environmental & Audubon Center seeks to provide these opportunities and many more to the youth of Seattle.

The Eco Explorations field trip program for 5th through 12th grade students brings students into Seward Park woodlands for field study, investigation, and hands-on exploration of Seward Park ecology. All of Eco Explorations educational programs teach the large scale concepts of chemistry, food chains, systems, ecology, habitats, and botany by exploring the ecosystems at the park: the old-growth forest, the oak savannah, and Lake Washington.

The goal of Eco Explorations is to provide students with an education that fosters an ethic of ecological and environmental stewardship in a fun, engaging atmosphere. Utilizing microscopes, nets, test kits, live and preserved specimens, games, and most importantly our Seward Park outdoor classroom, students will be introduced to a variety of exciting environmental science learning experiences.

Climate Kids is our semester long in-school program on climate change for 6th through 12th grades. Through a partnership with Facing the Future, a nonprofit organization that offers free and low cost curriculum for K-12 educators, we offer a series of 10 one-hour lessons divided into 2 units, in which students learn about the global and local impacts of climate change. They will learn about ways they can reduce their own carbon footprint and have a positive impact on climate change. They will become able to understand and communicate complex and interconnected concepts related to climate change.

The Talking Tree, a delightful introductory presentation for young children, shows how trees and people are dependent on each other then emphasizes why we must plant and help care for trees. A costumed Seward Park Audubon staff, naturalist, or volunteer will teach about trees through an interactive, engaging conversation, including comparing trees to people. The Talking Tree is geared to students preschool through first grade in individual classes as either a field trip or a classroom visit.

Seward Park Environmental & Audubon Center is a partnership between the City of Seattle and National Audubon Society that has led to renovating the historic building at the entrance to Seward Park and creating an the environmental learning center programs for the youth and families of Seattle. The Center successfully raised over $3 million for planning, design, construction, and start-up costs to make these programs for students a reality. We will open our doors to schools starting this April!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Education Director, Annie Morton, via email or by phone at 206-652-2444 ext 102. We look forward to speaking with you about this exciting opportunity for your school! And, to all of you, we extend our enthusiastic “Welcome” to the new Seward Park Environmental and Audubon Center!