Karen Dunn

What do you do? 

I work for the NC Coastal Federation as an environmental educator and advocate for sound land use planning and clean industries. I'm also an ACA kayak trip leader and avid sailor with opportunities to share the knowledge I've gained through the many North Carolina environmental education workshops and experiences of the certification program.

What was your favorite part of earning your certification? 

Attending the EENC Conference in Asheville was a great experience especially meeting face to face so many of the educators that teach programs and workshops throughout the state. I really enjoyed traveling from the mountains to the sea to attend workshops and site visits in all three regions. NC has one of the most diverse state park systems in the country. I never leave home without a Form B!

What certification experience stands out for you? 

Since I do not have formal education experience, the Criteria I workshops were the most valuable and interesting workshops to me. Interacting with formal educators during the workshops provided a solid background to launch a career in non-formal EE and alternative techniques to communicate complex environmental topics to both children and adults.

What was your community partnership project and how did it affect the community?

In September 2013, I partnered with Sabrina Woofter, Environment and Natural Resources Extension Agent with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service conducting a 9-week “Coastal Cadets” Enrichment Fridays program at D. C. Virgo. The curriculum included stormwater/water quality education and continued support of the school’s nine raised organic garden beds (12’ by 4’ each). The gardens are an invaluable educational resource for the students, and a way to give back to the community by harvesting crops and vegetables that can eventually be made available for those in need in the neighborhood, as well as allow students to bring crops to their own families who are struggling to provide proper nutrition at home. Daily maintenance of the plots produced a significant amount of organic material that was being discarded into plastic bags. Not only was this collection method becoming an eye sore, it was a missed opportunity to educate the students about waste reduction and converting the plant matter into rich fertilizing compost and mulch. Because D.C. Virgo is located in an urban area near downtown Wilmington, setting up a composting system that will not attract pests and animals was a challenge. After investigating various types of composting methods, I determined that fully enclosed containers would be the best option to sustain the project over time.