In East Lansing, Michigan, the quest for environmental engagement is not just a task but a passion for Heather Majano, the city’s environmental stewardship coordinator. Her mission is to bridge the gap between the community and the natural world, fostering a connection with students and residents alike.
“My heart is right at the intersection of people and nature,” Majano said, reflecting her dedication to integrating environmental sustainability with the community.
Despite her efforts, forging stronger connections with local schools poses a challenge. “I’ve done presentations in elementary schools about environmental things,” Majano explained. “I have collaborated with community members to lead students on hikes through the forest and teach them about nature, observation and art in nature. But then COVID hit and everything kind of changed.”
Since joining the city, Majano has spearheaded a program focused on maintaining East Lansing’s natural areas through volunteer work and educational outreach. However, expanding school partnerships is hindered by limited staff and resources. “The environmental stewardship program at the city is a very small program,” she said. “In fact, right now, it’s just me, and it’s a third of my job.”
Majano envisions long-term impacts from engaging K–12 students. “If the K–12 students can be involved from the beginning, that will help grow the longevity of the program,” she said. “They’ll be able to say, ‘Oh, yeah, I did know about invasive plants. I do know the importance of pollinators.’ They’ll be able to connect with nature wherever they go.”
In a related study, it was noted that “Learning about the interdependence of human life with the natural environment in these years is likely to have a lifelong impact,” according to Urban Youth Preserving the Environmental Commons: Student Learning in Place-Based Stewardship Education as Citizen Scientists (Sustainable Earth, 2020).
City Councilmember Dana Watson shares Majano’s vision, seeking to strengthen ties between the city, schools, and environmental education. Although infrastructure projects related to sustainability are underway, collaboration with East Lansing Public Schools remains limited. “We have a governance group that’s supposed to work with the school representatives, like a board member and maybe the superintendent,” Watson remarked. “But it really hasn’t come to fruition in a bit, probably since COVID.”
Watson is hopeful about future initiatives, including expanding recycling and launching composting programs. “I will say something I’ve been excited about that is hopefully up and coming sometime is the ability to compost in the city of East Lansing,” she stated.
At a recent meeting of the East Lansing Commission on the Environment, Carolyn Miller emphasized the importance of native plants and pollinators. As a botanical technologist at Michigan State University, she works to create urban landscapes that support native species. “Working with MSU lets me connect science and action. When we use native plants in our campus landscapes, we’re creating real habitats for pollinators right here in the city,” said Miller.
Beyond city initiatives, local organizations like Fenner Nature Center play a crucial role in environmental education. Education Director Sam Ansaldi leads programs that engage both children and adults through activities such as field trips, workshops, and summer camps. “My primary responsibilities are the oversight and creation of our environmental education programs for our school groups,” Ansaldi said. “We usually go about 450 kids throughout the summer. It’s pretty amazing.”
Fenner collaborates with programs like Annie’s Big Nature Lesson, offering students year-round outdoor experiences. “They’re out here in the middle of January doing nature observations in the snow. It’s great,” Ansaldi noted.
Experiential learning, where students actively engage and solve problems, is key to keeping them interested in environmental issues, according to Ansaldi. “The more engaged you can get a child into their learning and the more of an active participant they can be, the more beneficial it is,” he said.
The programs at Fenner align with East Lansing’s sustainability goals. In 2024, the city council set strategic goals, including environmental sustainability and climate resiliency. Initiatives like increasing recycling, managing invasive species, and developing greenspace management practices are part of this effort. Ansaldi hopes for further collaboration between schools and nonprofits.
“We do a lot with conservation education and stewardship,” he commented. “But when it comes to school districts or municipalities putting a lot of stuff together, I’d have to look at those intricacies to comment.”
Majano believes such collaboration could be transformative. “It would just be amazing if we could connect face-to-face, have a regular collaboration,” she said. “We’re increasing the tree canopy and supporting pollinators, all of those things have down-the-line benefits.”
Watson echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that progress depends on partnerships with educators and volunteers. “We’re still finding our footing,” she said, “but as the city expands and programs like composting take off, there’s room for the schools to be part of that progress.”
East Lansing’s journey towards sustainability continues with each project, from urban landscapes to educational experiences. “If we start when kids are young, they grow up connected to the outdoors and wanting to protect it,” Majano said.
Original Story at news.jrn.msu.edu