Lanny honors a range of educators dedicated to showcasing Alabama’s stunning natural landscapes.
“Our educators are very enthusiastic about revealing Alabama’s incredible biodiversity,” she noted. “Our goal is to leverage this for educational purposes. One vital message we want to share is that Alabama ranks among the top states in biodiversity. The variety of our species, ecosystems, and habitats is influenced by our unique physical and geographical characteristics. These workshops are a way to highlight that Alabama State Parks serve as both accommodations and playgrounds.
“Everyone participating in these workshops realizes they have access to, and a stake in, this vibrant living classroom within their school communities. By hosting workshops in all five districts of the state park, we’ll foster closer connections with schools and STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) educators.
Lanny expressed enthusiasm over the workshop’s recent approval for credits from the Alabama Mathematics, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI), aimed at enhancing excellence and accountability among math and science teachers.
“One math teacher who attended our DeSoto workshop mentioned he wished all his professional development could take place in state parks,” she recounted. “He felt the workshop opened up new possibilities for his lesson plans, so we even offered math teachers the chance to book K-12 field trips to experience what he had.
“This initiative is going to elevate the environmental education provided by Alabama State Parks and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), engaging a new generation who appreciates and supports our parks and conservation efforts. They hunt, they fish.
Joseph Milner, a teacher from Albertville Middle School, is eager to share what he learned during the workshop with students, colleagues, and friends.
“While attending the workshop, I kept thinking about how I could relate this to my 8th-grade science class,” Milner reflected. “Many of these kids have probably never even walked by a stream, so I really think it’s important for them to experience that.
“In my class, we explore concepts like solutions and how substances break apart. A moment in the park sparked an idea. We were on dry rocks when one of the naturalists pointed out a parasitic plant thriving on flat rocks, showing how it uses material to digest insects.
“I realized how easily I can explain my 8th-grade physical science topics in a life science context when tied to state parks and our previous lessons.”
Lanny shared that she had to venture beyond Alabama for college to truly grasp the state’s offerings.
“As a student, I appreciated Alabama but didn’t fully recognize how special it was,” she admitted. “Thirty-three years ago, I was studying endangered and unique species in El Junque National Forest in Puerto Rico. I was exploring trails there, celebrating one of the endemic Ricon species, which is similar to the Carolina Chickadee. I showed my companion the Alabama birdwatching checklist, and he realized he hadn’t even experienced our biodiversity yet.
