About us

Founded in 1954, the Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE) is one of the first associations of environmental educators in the nation. We are a statewide organization that was created by and for outdoor and environmental educators. Working as the California affiliate for the North American Association of Environmental Educators (NAAEE), our mission is to advance the impact of environmental and outdoor education in California. We work to:

CONNECT We convene program providers to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive network of skilled practitioners

EDUCATE We provide learning opportunities that are aligned with best practices and content relevant for our field

ADVANCE We promote high-quality environmental education among the varied programs across the state and advocate for all young people to experience meaningful learning opportunities outdoors

The logo of AEOE is the oak tree, and this symbol captures the spirit of our organization. The oak tree represents our efforts to cultivate the seeds of knowledge and understanding in young people; we hope that the seeds we sow will grow into positive actions for a healthy environment for all. The diversity of oak trees throughout California are highly important to its first peoples, and in many cultures acorns are considered the "staff of life." 

Guiding and governing documents

You can access our bylaws here

You can access our current strategic plan here