Climate Stewards is a training program that prepares people to build resilience to climate change impacts on communities and ecosystems. This curriculum was first developed in California by the University of California Division of Agricultural and Natural Resources, California Naturalist Program.
How Does Climate Stewards Work?
Through in-person sessions, field trips, and online learning, participants will:
- Improve their understanding of climate science and climate change impacts on human communities and ecosystems.
- Develop confidence and skill to communicate with others about climate change.
- Connect with other community members and local organizations to work together on climate resiliency projects.
- Help build a community of active Climate Stewards
What is Included in the Climate Stewards Curriculum?
Climate Stewards is a hybrid (online and in-person) training course. The curriculum is divided into the following units:
- Unit 1: Community Connections – Connect through experiences with climate change and extreme weather, focusing on relationships, social-emotional resilience, and trauma-aware practices.
- Unit 2: Communication, Interpretation, Education – Learn to communicate about climate change using the appropriate tools for various audiences.
- Units 3 & 4: Climate in Context – Learn the science behind climate and earth systems, climate change, and the role of humans with examples from Oregon.
- Unit 5: Community Resilience – Learn to leverage community connections and resources for climate resilience efforts focusing on community-specific risk and resilience assessments and collective solutions to climate change.
- Unit 6: Community Engagement – Connect with community partners that offer volunteer opportunities related to climate stewardship and resilience work as part of a capstone project. Engage in one or more communities of practice related to climate change work.
The training course is typically delivered over 12 weeks. Courses include online lessons, in-person classroom sessions and field trips.