Resource Organizations

Other Informational Resources For School Gardens and Nature Opportunities In Austin, TX and Surrounding Areas

American Youthworks Environmental Corps

http://www.americanyouthworks.org
American YouthWorks (AYW) volunteers can visit campuses and work sites to share skills and talents with our participants
Contact: Parc Smith
(512) 744-1913

Boy Scouts Youth Organizations

http://www.scouting.org/
Often local troops and children's groups will work to establish gardens as part of service projects. Eagle Scout candidates frequently need projects. Austin coordinator: Bob Oatman 944-7726

Capital Area Master Naturalists

http://www.camn.org
CAMN volunteers provide instruction and volunteer opportunities to adults who wish to learn about and demonstrate the principles of sustainable use, conservation, and maintenance of our natural resources.
Contact: Julia Osgood jkozz@austin.rr.com

Capitol Area Council Boy Scouts

http://www.bsacac.org
There are several specialized leadership and skill training courses offered by the Capitol Area Council. They are all a combination of traditional classroom and active outdoor learning environments. These courses can help you get more out of the Scouting program.
(512) 926-6363, info@bsacac.org

Children In Nature Collaborative of Austin

http://www.naturerocksaustin.org/home
The Children in Nature Collaborative of Austin is a new private/public partnership non-profit organization dedicated to creating social change so that kids throughout Central Texas have easy and frequent connections to our natural world. The mission of the Austin Children in Nature Collaborative is to ignite and fan the flames of the regional movement to reconnect kids to the wonder and joy of the natural world.

Children In Nature Network

http://www.childrenandnature.org/
The Children & Nature Network (C&NN) was created to encourage and support the people and organizations working worldwide to reconnect children with nature. C&NN provides access to the latest news and research in the field and a peer-to-peer network of researchers and individuals, educators and organizations dedicated to children's health and well-being.

City of Austin-Parks and Recreation Department

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/wildlifehabitat.htm
National Wildlife Federation’s certified the City of Austin as a Community Wildlife Habitat. Austin is the largest city in the country and the first city in Texas to receive this prestigious designation. Community wildlife habitats provide food, water, cover and places to raise young for wildlife throughout an entire community – in individual backyards, on school grounds and in public areas such as parks, community gardens, places of worship and businesses.

Girl Scouts of Central Texas

http://www.gsctx.org
Girl Scouts is the world's largest organization dedicated to empowering girls to be leaders. In partnership with adult volunteers, girls develop leadership skills, strong values, social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth.
(512) 453-7391

Green Corn Project

http://www.greencornproject.org/gc/
Green Corn is a group of Austin volunteers committed to planting and supporting organic gardens. Contact them about supporting your school garden project.

Keep Austin Beautiful

http://www.keepaustinbeautiful.org/
Keep Austin Beautiful (KAB) inspires and educates individual and our community towards greater environmental stewardship. Recruit KAB volunteers for projects through events calendar and weekly email blast.
Contact: Jessica Wilson
(512) 391-0617 x901 Jessica@Keepaustinbeautiful.org

Keep Austin Wild - Habitat Steward Volunteers

http://www.keepaustinwild.com
Volunteers available to assist with schoolyard habitat projects.
Contact: Alice Nance, City of Austin Parks & Recreation Department- Wildlife Austin
(512) 327-8181 x29 alice.nance@ci.austin.tx.us

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

http://wildflower.org
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center exists to introduce people to the beauty and diversity of wildflowers and other native plants. The Center’s education programs for children and adults teach people about their natural surroundings and how to grow native plants in their own backyards.

National Wildlife Federation, Austin (South Central Region Center)

http://www.nwf.org/southcentral
National Wildlife Federation inspires Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future. The focus is on protecting and restoring healthy rivers and estuaries, conserving wetlands, springs and aquifers, safeguarding wildlife and habitats from the effects of global warming, promoting sustainable land and water use, and connecting both children and adults with the natural world.

The Plantmobile

mobob@sbcglobal.net
An Austin resource, Dr. Molly Orgozoly will bring a 'truckload' of gardening and nature activities to your school.

Sustainable Food Center, Austin

http://www.sustainablefoodcenter.org
Offers opportunities for individuals to make healthy food choices and to participate in a vibrant local food system. Through organic food gardening, relationships with area farmers, interactive cooking classes and nutrition education, children and adults have increased access to locally grown food and are empowered to improve the long-term health of Central Texans and our environment.
Austin phone: 512-236-0074

Texas AgriLife Extension Service - Travis County

http://travis-tx.tamu.edu/ and http://texasextension.tamu.edu
There are a number of newsletters, practical publications and related links included on this site in the areas of Youth Development, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Horticulture, Nutrition and Health, and Family and Consumer Issues.
Austin phone: 512-854-9600

Texas Master Gardeners

http://grovesite.com/page.asp?o=mg&s=mga&p=266862
A Texas AgriLife resource organization, trained volunteers will often assist schools with planning gardens.

Travis County Audubon Society

http://www.travisaudubon.org/
Travis Audubon Society promotes the enjoyment, understanding, and conservation of native  birds and their habitats. TAC leads diverse and interesting field trips and bird walks nearly every weekend of the year and on weekdays, both at local birding
hotspots and exotic getaways.  TAC offers an exciting array of monthly speakers, workshops, youth birding camp, the annual Birdathon, and seasonal as well as monthly bird counts and surveys.  

Travis County Master Gardeners

http://www.tcmastergardeners.org/
As a program of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, we provide non-biased, sound horticultural information to the community. Master Gardeners can help with gardening questions and school garden projects.
(512) 854-9600 travismg@ag.tamu.edu

Texas Master Naturalists

http://masternaturalist.tamu.edu/
Their mission: to help children and adults learn about Texas's natural wildlife resources.

Texas Farm Bureau

http://www.txfb.org/
The Farm bureau may have a speaker and activities for your school.

Texas Forest Service

http://txforestservice.tamu.edu
TFS provides information on all matters related to forestry. They offer conservation educations, resources for teachers and kid's korner learning opportunities.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/
Their mission is to conserve fish and wildlife species and habitat as well as cultural and historic sites across Texas. Lots of teacher resources for outdoor learning opportunities.

Uplift Austin

http://www.upliftaustin.org/
UpLift Austin offers an innovative environmental education program for at-risk youth. To educate about promising "green" career field, UpLift Austin provides a day program in local high schools that pairs students with professionals from the community. In each program, students design and implement projects to promote an environmentally sustainable campus.

Urban Biologists

Urban biologists provide wildlife and habitat conservation information to urban residents, schools, businesses, and local governmental agencies. Speakers and educational resources are sometimes available. Urban teams are located in six major urban centers. To speak with an urban biologist in your area, contact:

Austin: (512) 308-0979
Dallas/Fort Worth: (972) 293-3841
El Paso: (915) 774-9603
Houston: (281) 456-7029
Rio Grande Valley: (956) 571-5359
San Antonio: (210) 688-6444

Youth Launch

http://www.youthlaunch.org/about/home.php
Urban Roots is an Austin youth development program that uses sustainable agriculture as means to effect lasting change for youth participants, and to nourish East Austin residents who currently have limited access to healthy foods. Check to see if they can help with your program.