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History

• In 1969, Dr. William Stapp of the University of Michigan defined environmental education as education \"aimed at producing citizenry that is knowledgeable concerning the biophysical environment and its associated problems, aware of how to help solve these problems, and motivated to work toward their solution\". Check to make sure this and those below are in fact direct quotes
• In 1970, President Richard Nixon stressed the importance of environmental literacy in his 1970 Environment Message to Congress: \"It is also vital that our entire society develops a new understanding and a new awareness of man's relation to his environment- what might be called \"environmental literacy.\" This will require the development and teaching of environmental concepts at every point in the educational process.\"
• In October 1970, Nixon signed the Environment Education Act, which defined EE as: \"The educational process dealing with man's relationship with his natural and manmade surroundings, and includes the relation of population, conservation, transportation, technology, and urban and regional planning to the total human environment.\" This act also created an Office of Environmental Education in the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and developed a domestic grants program. This act was not reauthorized in the 1980's, however.
• Also in 1970, the Western Regional Environmental Education Council (now the Council for Environmental Education) was formed to try to connect education and natural resource professionals.
• In 1971, the National Association for EE (now the North American Association for EE) was formed.
• In 1972, The UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm made a recommendation that gave 7 proclamations and 26 principles to guide those around the world in the preservation and enhancement of the human environment.
• In 1975, the Belgrade charter was formed by UNESCO at the International Environmental Workshop in Belgrade. This was built upon the Stockholm Declaration and added goals, objectives, and guiding principles of environmental education programs and declares the general public the desired audience.
• In 1976, Project Learning Tree was created by the Western Regional Environmental Education Council and the American Forest Institute to help K-12 students gain awareness and knowledge of the natural and built environment, their place in it, and their responsibility for it.
• The Belgrade Charter was revised in 1977 at the UNESCO-UNEP Intergovernmental Conference on EE in Tbilisi to include new goals, objectives, characteristics, and guiding principles and declared the unanimous agreement on the importance of environmental education in preservation and improvement of the world's environment.
• In 1980, NAAEE president Clay Schoenfeld forms the National Comission on EE Research
• In 1983, Project Wild was created by the WREEC and the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to sponsor conservation and environmental education programs with a focus on wildlife grades K-12
• In 1990, the National Environmental Education Act of 1990 is passed, which authorizes and Office of Environmental Education in the EPA, an environmental education and training program, environmental education grants, student fellowships, The President's Environmental Youth Awards, The Federal Task Force and National Advisory Council, The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, and Project WET (Water Education for Teachers).
• In 1991, the National Environmental Education Advancement Project was created at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point
• In 1992, the EPA funds an EE training program, the National Consortium of Environmental Education and Training, was created. Look into this one
• In 1993, NAAEE initiates the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education.
• In 1995, the EPA awards a second training program grant to NAAEE to establish Environmental Education and Training Partnership.
• In 1996, the Senate passed a reauthorization of the National Environmental Education Act. Check to see if it actually passed the House in 2000