EEAC 50th Anniversary Timeline (mobile)

EEAC NYC

50 years OF

1974-2024

1974

EEAC Founded

1974

EEAC founded at the Mohonk Conference, planned and organized by Dr. Eugene Ezersky, Coordinator of Outdoor Education, School Camping and Environmental Education for the Bureau for Health and Physical Education at NYC Board of Education

1976

Opening of the Gateway Environmental Study Center

The Art of Trip Taking and A Guide to Residential Facilities published in partnership with EEAC

First EEAC Meeting

1975

The first EEAC meeting is held in the fall at the Gateway National Recreation Area.

Explore the past 50 years of the Environmental Education Advisory Council of New York City

EEAC's By-Laws and Incorporation are passed by general membership

1978

EEAC begins formulating by-laws & becoming incorpoarted

First Winter Wonders Workshop held at Gateway Environmental Study Center with strong EEAC support

1977

First Winter Wonders Workshop

First Winter Wonders Workshop held at Gateway Environmental Study Center with strong EEAC support

1980

Statewide Environmental Education Initative Coordination

1982-1990

EEAC collaborates with the Council on the Environment of NYC and the Environmental Action Coalition to coordinate the Statewide Environmental Education Initiative. A talent bank of environmental educators is developed to infuse environmental concepts into the NY State Syllabus

For a more detailed History of EEAC, visit the Archives of EEAC Newsletters from 1978-1990.

NY Naturally || Conference Hosted

1987

"The Development of Environmental Education in NYC: Personal Perspectives" Published

EEAC organizes the "Blueprint for Action" conference with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, which links environmental educators to the city government and the business community

NY Naturally I Conference Hosted

1985

EEAC organizes citywide NY Naturally l conference for teachers and non-formal educators

Blueprint for Action Conference Hosted

1989

1990

1999

EEAC 25th Anniversary Celebration

EEAC's 25th Anniversary Celebration held at Barge Music on the Brooklyn waterfront with nearly 200 environmental educators, environmentalists, political officials and community members in attendance

1990

Chancellor’s Environmental Education Task Force formed

EEAC Youth Congress held at the Gateway Environmental Study Center

Chancellor’s Environmental Education Task Force, incluidng several EEAC steering committee members, is formed

EEAC plays major role in citywide "Nature in the City" conference

1991-94

Chancellor’s Environmental Education Task Force Report released

EEAC continues to successfully campaign to keep the NYC Board of Education from closing the Gateway Environmental Study Center. The center eventually closes in the 2010's.

1992

Chancellor’s Environmental Education Task Force Report released

Chancellor's Environmental Education Task Force Report released; calls for establishing a citywide Environmental Education coordinator position

1996

The First "Green Horizons" Event takes place

EEAC co-sponsors with the NYC Board of Education and New York Releaf, the first "Green Horizons" event at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden for intermediate school youth to learn about environmental careers

1998

The John Kominski Memorial Fund is founded

EEAC sets up the John Kominski Memorial Fund which gives awards to excellent educators, students and organizations over the next several years to commemorate the great science and environmental educator

2000

For a more detailed History of EEAC, visit the Archives of EEAC Newsletters from 1978-1990.

2008

EEAC recognizes Joan & Hy Rosner, two of EEAC's founding members

2000

EEAC recieves the "Green Star Award" from the Environmental Action Coalition

Teacher Environmental Education Preparation (TEEP) begins

The Teacher Environmental Education Preparation (TEEP) initiative begins with EEAC, Council on the Environment, and the Wallerstein Collaborative for Urban Environmental Education at NYU working with colleges of education to infuse more environmental education into teacher preparation programs. The first three TEEP symposiums are held at Pace University in Westchester, SUNY Cortland and Teachers College.

2003-2005

TEEP publishes "White Paper on EE in Teacher Preparation in New York State

TEEP "White Paper on Environmental Education in Teacher Preparation in New York State" is issued and is published in the EEAC newsletter and the newsletter of the New York State Outdoor Education Association

2009

EEAC members tour the geothermal green energy project at the General Theological Seminary

2001

EEAC responds to 9/11//2001 with "City of Heroes" Newsletter

2003

Remembering Bernard Kirschenbaum

Ruth Eilenberg writes a memorial for the Summer 2003 newsletter about previous EEAC Chair Bernard Kirschenbaum, Assistant Director of the Health and Physical Education Unit, Division of Curriculum and Instruction of the NYC Board of Education and the supervisor of the Gateway Environmental Center

2010

TEEP evolves into Environmental Education Projects Forum

After four workshops TEEP evolves into the Environmental Education Projects Forum (the Forum); Forum workshops 5 and 6 are held on zoom and generate a number of projects

2019-2023

EEAC's History and 40 years forward published in Winter/Spring Newsletter

Brief Summary of EEAC's history published in EEAC newsletter (Winter/Spring 2015); a view of next 40 years also included in this special issue

2015

EEAC's Summer 2018 newsletter focuses on "Teaching about Climate Change"

2018

TEEP holds symposium at NAAEE Conference

TEEP holds symposium at the North American Association of Environmental Education conference in Buffalo, New York; sixth of seven TEEP symposia held throughout the State of New York

2010

EEAC Celebrates 40th Anniversary

EEAC's 40th Anniversary Celebration held at the Brooklyn Brewery

2014

TEEP Begins Workshop Series

TEEP begins a series of workshops, the first one held at Teachers College

2016

2020

River's Legacy

River DiLeo, transformational chairperson of EEAC since 2018, tragically passes away at the age of _; River created a welcoming, inclusive and accessible space for all, shaping the direction of the organization for many years to come; EEAC's revised mission statement and adaptive plan are two of the many living testaments to River's leadership, vision and ability to inspire action and effect change

2022

First "How Things Work" Conference hosted

EEAC's rebranding effots results in a new organization logo.

The first "How Things Work" conference is generated by the Forum; sixteen exhibitors demonstrate how environmental systems from a solar collector to a windmill work, to 200 students (grades 6-12) and their teachers in the Great Hall at City College

2024

2023

New York: Naturally! is held on November 2-3 at Murray Bergtraum High School. Dr. Eugene Ezersky (the first Coordinator of Outdoor Education, Environmental Education and School Camping of the NYC Board of Education and the Executive Director of the NYC office of Cornell University Cooperative Extension) presents the keynote address. This two day conference, sponsored by EEAC and the NYC Board of Education’s Division of Curriculum and Instruction, is filled with workshops, seminars, field trips and a variety of other outdoor activities for teachers and non-formal educators (Summer 1985 newsletter).

New York: Naturally Conference Hosted

EEAC and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection host “Blueprint for Action” conference on September 8-9 at the World Trade Center. Workshops and field trips to wastewater treatment plants, landfills, and other sites within the five boroughs bring together educators, business people, government officials, and community leaders to exchange ideas, to broaden views, and develop new consensus for action

Blueprint for Action Conference Hosted

The John Kominski Memorial Fund is established to commemorate a great friend, leader and extraordinary science and environmental educator. The fund underwrites transportation expenses for deserving students to attend DEC’s Camp DeBruce in the Catskills, and teachers demonstrating leadership in effecting positive change in environmental education. The first award is given to Roy Arezzo, science teacher from MS 318 in Brooklyn.

John Kominski Memorial Fund

EEAC’s Youth Congress is held in April at the Gateway Environmental Study Center with 71 high school juniors participating. In June, a follow-up meeting is held for student participants at the New York Academy of Sciences to craft recommendations into an Agenda for Action.

EEAC Youth Congress

The Gateway Environmental Study Center opens, based on an agreement between NYC’s Board of Education and the National Park Service, with EEAC support. This new site becomes the foundation for outstanding citywide environmental education initiatives, including Operation Explore, a multi-agency, school year-long program for students to have hands-on experiences in the natural sciences at the seashore, forest, and farm culminating with overnight camping. Ruth Eilenberg becomes the Center’s director with assistance from Sam Holmes, Chief of Environmental Education for the National Park Service.

Opening of the Gateway Environmental Study Center

To learn about environmental careers, EEAC, the NYC Board of Education and New York ReLeaf hold the first “Green Horizons” event at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for intermediate school students. Future annual events rotate among sites in each of the five boroughs including Queens Botanical Garden, Van Cortlandt Park, Central Park, New York Botanical Garden and Snug Harbor.

The first "Green Horizons" event

EEAC is founded to create a collaborative approach to environmental education in New York at the October 30th - November 1st Mohonk Conference. Conceptualized and organized by Dr. Eugene Ezersky, Coordinator of Outdoor Education at NYC’s Board of Education, the planning committee consists of leaders in outdoor and science education Bernard Kirschenbaum, Norman Skliar, Sam Holmes, and Joan and Hy Rosner. The Conference is “designed as a goal-oriented meeting utilizing the expertise of the key participants from education institutions, government agencies and outdoor education organizations grouped into six Task Forces.”

The Beginnings of EEAC

Work begins on EEAC’s by-laws and the process for obtaining a certificate of incorporation. These documents are presented to members at a December 9th conference held at Wave Hill. Decisions from this conference include publishing a periodic newsletter and initiating $10 membership dues.

EEAC begins formulating by-laws

EEAC’s April 14th meeting at the NY Botanical Gardens results in “prolonged and thoughtful debate” as the by-laws and certificate of incorporation are passed by the general membership. The “transition from adolescence to adulthood” is made and the pathway is paved to give full attention to the many excellent programs which have made EEAC an effective and long lasting force in New York’s environmental education world. The Steering Committee is thanked for their “enthusiasm, inventiveness, flexibility, and brilliance.”

EEAC's By-laws and Incorporation are passed by general membership