The Field Museum’s Youth Conservation Action team supports a diverse next generation of conservation leaders by providing hands-on, locally-focused environmental education opportunities that translate science into conservation action. The museum’s Keller Science Action Center’s interdisciplinary team of ecologists, social scientists, educators, and geospatial analysts use museum science to build an environmentally literate next generation that has the know-how and inspiration to take care of nature in their communities.
Our Approach
We provide an in-depth, place-based approach that is one of the region’s most successful strategies to connect underserved youth with nature and engage them in conservation action in their communities.
- Young people are an important part of conservation. People, young and old, are an integral piece of conservation action. The museum’s integrated conservation strategy combines Youth Conservation Action with community asset-based social science, action research, urban ecology, and environmental mapping and planning in order to create an urban region where nature and people thrive.
- Connect people to nature. A love of nature starts early; we connect people to nature through hands-on, real world opportunities that engage students in local environmental issues so that they can be the problem solvers of tomorrow.
- Support a web of conservation opportunities. We provide conservation education opportunities and help build a regional vision for high quality environmental education through partnerships. By supporting a web of conservation opportunities for youth, it’s our vision that every child in the region has the opportunity to connect with and take care of nature.
- Train the next generation of conservation leaders. Hands-on environmental action projects and in-class curriculum build science content knowledge, spark interest in conservation careers, and build leadership skills for students.