Our Big Backyard Environmental Education

Kids Exploring Our Big Backyard:

Our Big Backyard (OBB) is an environmental education program created by Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina with the purpose of engaging youth (K-12) in land conservation efforts through outdoor adventures and nature based activities. OBB programming takes shape as a field trip experience that gets young people outside, on Foothills Conservancy preserve lands, where they learn about management of that land through a guided hike or interactive presentation and then do a related craft or activity. (Some examples include: Guided Tree ID Hike & Designing A Tree Cookie or NC Bird ID viewing & Build a Bird House.) 

All activities are drawn from the OBB guidebook and can be catered to different age groups and interests. Each OBB participant also gets to take an 'Adventure Bag' home with them that supplies them with materials like binoculars, compass, fishing net, and a nature journal to encourage independent outdoor exploration. This program is offered to schools and community groups across 8 counties in western NC including: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, McDowell, and Rutherford.

Learn more about our work at https://www.foothillsconservancy.org/ourbigbackyard

Making A Splash:

Environmental education works. The benefits of outdoor learning and environmental education are remarkable and well-documented. Research shows that regular time in nature can make us healthier, happier, smarter, and better stewards of the environment. That makes environmental education just as important for our participants as it is for the planet.

Learners of all ages, from infancy through adulthood, can benefit from the connection to and understanding of our environments that comes from environmental education. Implementing EE into every school day can build the foundation for lifelong engagement.

Our Big Backyard was established in 2018 as a weeklong summer camp for 40 participants. It has grown every year since and, as of 2023, has served over 350 kids in 5 counties across western North Carolina!

Will You Help Us Grow?

If you, or someone you know, has a past experience with Our Big Backyard that helped shape your love for and commitment to protecting our planet, please pay it forward by supporting Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina’s mission and work. Any amount you can give brings us closer to our goal of connecting more kids with nature!

Prefer to support our work via check?  You can mail payment to Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, P.O. Box 3023, Morganton, NC 28680.