2025 Arkansas Environmental & Outdoor Education Conference

This session will have a classroom component and a field tour. The classroom session will focus on native plant gardens (smaller plots with individual plants in a structured format) and native plant meadows (larger, randomly planted wildflowers, often interspersed with native grasses) and Q & A. Participants will then carpool to Dardanelle Lock and Dam (Old Post Park-Russellville side of the Arkansas River, about 10 minutes drive). Arkansas Master Naturalists planted about 300 potted plants and broadcast more than 7 million seeds on the site in. Resources will include multiple native plant nurseries in our region and native plant seed sources. Participants will go through the steps of preparation and planting and discuss the biodiversity implications of native plants. Target audience: Classroom teachers, 3-5 grade, Classroom teachers, 6-8 grade, Classroom teachers, 9-12 grade, Non-formal educators