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Marianist Environmental
Education Center
Mount St. John
Dayton, OH
MEEC provides educational experiences through
a program model called Mutual Service. Participants
learn first how the land cares for them, and then
learn how to best care for the land in return
so that it can continue to sustain the diversity
of life, the human community, and future generations.
MEEC targets two groups for environmental service
learning outreach: inner-city youth with limited
access to natural areas, and local religious education
groups. They work with the inner-city youth because
they are more likely to bear a disproportionate
burden of environmental problems and less likely
to have positive hands-on experiences of nature,
and through the programs MEEC seeks to empower
them with knowledge from a young age. MEEC works
with the second group because religious groups
steward significant land holdings and because
faith traditions are well-equipped with moral
and spiritual teachings on caring for creation.
Cultivating awareness and integration of these
teachings into the lives of faith is a powerful
way to develop a dedicated, active constituency.
The educational displays and access to nature
provide occasions to contemplate the beauty and
healing power of Earth as well as work toward
its restoration.
Volunteer involvement in research and ecological
restoration projects, programs and presentations
are designed to increase awareness and appreciation
of the workings of the Earth, to develop skills
and to promote the preservation, restoration and
enhancement of our landscapes and their life sustaining
systems. Hundreds of volunteers have contributed
thousands of hours to help heal the land of Mount
St. John. In 2003 alone, 474 volunteers donated
more than 5,000 hours of service. Since 1998,
MEEC has worked with 20 schools and universities,
16 Catholic parishes, eight Protestant churches,
and nine additional religious organizations including
vowed communities.
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MEEC also offers free workshops for the faith
community throughout southwest Ohio. All participants
receive free interfaith climate change resources
for congregations, including a five-session bible
study guide for congregations, the National
Council of Churches' video God's Creation
and Global Warming, the "Energy Stewardship
Guide for Congregations", the National Council
of Church's Environmental Justice Covenant Congregation
Program, and the U.S. Catholic Bishop's pastoral statement
on climate change, as well as scientific resources
from the Union of Concerned Scientists and an
educational curriculum suitable for traditional
and non-traditional educators.
Workshops are facilitated by Dr. Leanne Jablonski,
FMI, Ph.D., a plant ecologist specializing in
climate change.
Contact:
Tara Poling
MEEC
Mount St. John
4435 E. Patterson Road
Dayton, OH 45430
937-429-3582
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