How to Grow a Steward

By Wendy Griesan

At Colorado Canyons Association (CCA) we practice environmental stewardship; we take care of the environment. Being an environmental steward looks like following Leave No Trace principles, turning the water off when you brush your teeth, or even contributing to restoration efforts on public lands. By creating a community that stewards our public lands and waters, CCA ensures that they can be enjoyed by current and future generations. But how does CCA accomplish this through education programs? 

Student surveys from field trips in 2024 demonstrate that CCA’s education programs – Land and River – build the (1) knowledge, (2) skills and (3) attitudes necessary to create environmental stewards. 

  1. By providing hands-on, interactive lessons, students explore the natural and human-based systems that govern our world. 83% of students reported an increase in knowledge during CCA education programs. This knowledge might look like knowing that Fruitafossor – an early mammal of the Jurassic Era – was discovered in the Fruita Paleo Area. Or, that a Cottonwood tree in Cottonwood Grove Campground provides nesting habitat for a bald eagle. Ultimately, these programs generated interest and curiosity for the world around them. 

  2. Program participants also grow their conservation skills by practicing Leave No Trace principles and contributing to citizen science projects. These skills foster the ability to recreate responsibly, appreciate the work that goes into maintaining public lands/waters, and can even be used as work experience for budding scientists. 92% of participants expressed the ability to practice Leave No Trace, after time spent with CCA.  

  3. Equipped with knowledge and skills, an environmental steward is missing one key element: attitude. Attitude acts as a catalyst for applying these tools and creates meaningful action. A whopping 95% of CCA program participants expressed a desire to take care of the environment. By facilitating this personal connection to our landscapes, CCA activates the final requirement necessary to create an environmental steward. 

Help us grow the next generation of environmental stewards. Book your program with CCA today!  

Wendy Griesan, 

eeCorps NCA Environmental Educator 

Bronwen Nicholls-HillComment