2026 Theme and Strands | NAAEE Conference

55th Annual NAAEE Conference Theme and Strands

Imagine If...

In times of change, imagination matters. Imagine If… invites us to pause, look beyond current constraints, and consider what becomes possible when education drives connection, action, and positive change.

At the 2026 NAAEE Annual Conference in Portland, we will explore how we can build on the momentum already underway across our field—and what more becomes possible when environmental education is fully leveraged to shape a more just, resilient, and sustainable world. Imagine strengthening efforts to build healthier communities, support community engagement, and reconnect people to nature. Imagine partnerships that deepen collaboration across sectors, cultures, and generations. Imagine learning that sparks not only understanding, but sustained collective action and renewed hope.

The conference will bring together environmental educators, researchers, youth leaders, community organizers, policymakers, and partners from across the field and around the world. Together, we will imagine and advance solutions grounded in research and practice, inspired by place, and strengthened through collaboration.

Enhancing Environmental Education in Formal Settings

Using environmental education and E-STEM to transform education, enhance student achievement, prepare students for green careers, conserve resources, support national and international education trends, link schools and communities, and build support for environmental education in formal education, including early childhood, primary, secondary, university, and vocational

Sessions in this strand address such topics as:

Green Schools as a pathway to service learning, student leadership, civic engagement, outdoor learning, and other effective education practices
Research-based benefits and challenges of learning and teaching in outdoor settings and in a culturally relevant context
Nature-based learning in early childhood and primary grades, including nature preschools
Preparing a workforce with 21st century learning skills—including vocational skills—for the green and blue economies
Exemplary initiatives for greening the campus and the curriculum, including strategies for using gardens, schoolyards, and landscapes to advance learning and demonstrating how facilities management practices and policies can support learning
Integrating EE into preservice teacher preparation and in-service professional development

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Conservation and Environmental Education

Achieving conservation goals through education, communication, social marketing, and ecotourism strategies, including public participation in scientific research and place-based community action

Sessions in this strand address such topics as:

Integrating education strategies into the broader practice of conservation
Expanding the conservation movement to all communities
Applying current research on behavior change in conservation education initiatives
Demonstrating effective education strategies for addressing specific conservation issues such as ecosystem restoration, ocean conservation, food systems, energy, and water
Showcasing effective collaboration between conservation educators, scientists, resource managers, and practitioners in formal and nonformal education settings
Highlighting successful tools, approaches, and educator preparation strategies for bringing community-based science to classrooms and communities

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Advancing Civic Engagement and Sustainable Communities

Creating sustainable, equitable, and resilient communities through partnership-building, civic engagement, personal decision making, systems thinking, and connecting community and environment

Sessions appropriate to this strand address such topics as:

Achieving environmental integrity, social well-being, and economic prosperity through education and authentic engagement of all communities
Understanding how people from different backgrounds relate to, engage with, and care about the environment in urban, suburban, and rural communities, and incorporating this knowledge into our work
Creating grassroots partnerships for community improvement; characteristics of successful community action projects
Demonstrating innovative strategies, tools, and training for finding common ground when addressing controversial issues
Linking environmental education and civic engagement and building networks to scale up community efforts into effective change.
Highlighting examples of successful collaboration across disciplines, contexts, and countries

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Connecting with Nature

Cultivating partnerships and providing accessible outdoor education experiences that connect people of all ages and backgrounds to nature and foster a sense of stewardship

Sessions in this strand address such topics as:

Developing outdoor programs that are culturally relevant and provide access for all
The restorative power of nature during challenging times
Developmentally-appropriate, engaging, and accessible practices for connecting all young children to nature
Creating and using parks and other green learning spaces in urban, suburban, and rural areas
Outdoor programs that promote physical or spiritual health and wellness and that build a sense of place and cultural relevancy in urban, suburban, and rural communities
Using the arts, storytelling, and imagination to explore and strengthen people’s connections to nature

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Educating for a Changing Climate

Highlighting innovative approaches and best practices that help learners of all ages understand climate impacts and solutions and overcome barriers to spur effective action

Sessions in this strand address such topics as:

Reducing climate anxiety and fostering hope for the future
Building more resilient communities through education and civic engagement
Addressing the impacts of climate on all communities
Preparing educators to teach about all aspects of climate change, from climate science to community solutions
Building public awareness, support, and policies for climate action
Incorporating climate change across all grade levels and subjects in preschools, primary and secondary schools, and in universities, and nonformal education organizations

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Building Leadership in Environmental Education

Strategies for building leadership and infrastructure to advance EE at the state, provincial, national, and global levels, and for preparing and motivating the public to take informed actions to protect the environment and address social and economic disparities

Sessions in this strand provide training in such areas as:

Providing effective and relevant environmental education to build a stronger and more representative field
Cultivating and supporting leadership and early career professionals in EE
Exploring opportunities and challenges of using technology and AI to advance the field
Strategies for evaluation and improving environmental education programs that recognize all learners' strengths, knowledge, and experiences
Highlighting experiences and creative insights from around the world that integrate, scale up, and sustain environmental education efforts
Promoting global citizenship through collaborative networks and online learning communities

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