Education Needs Assessment for the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve

Abstract

This project was conducted to assist in the development of the educational component of the overall Management Plan produced for the designation of the St. Louis River as the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (LSNERR). The study was designed to complete a preliminary education needs assessment for the region using the framework of the NOAA Coastal Services Center’s Needs Assessment Training Module. An inventory of existing education programs was completed and meetings were held with 21 representatives from 13 different organizations that identified several themes for the focus of the future education programming at the LSNERR. A survey of 25 education stakeholders validated the need for education programming in the following areas: • Adult Education • Teacher Training and Curriculum Development • Coordination of Area Education Programs • Promoting the idea of the St. Louis River as a Working Estuary • Professional Development Recommendations were developed for each of the identified educational themes to help ensure that the future LSNERR’s education programming successfully address the program areas identified in the needs assessment. The recommendations were formulated based on the results of the needs assessment along with additional education material from the NERR system website, a review of the Old Woman Creek (OWC) NERR, primary literature, and information gathered from stakeholder meetings and surveys.