Climate Stewards

We are in the process of bringing a new curriculum to the state of Oregon called Climate Stewards. This curriculum was first developed in California by the University of California Division of Agricultural and Natural Resources, California Naturalist Program. In 2023, we revised and adapted the curriculum for Oregon, and piloted it in the Columbia Gorge. Now, we are looking for support to expand the program. Click the link below if you would like to support us.

What is Climate Stewards?

Climate Stewards is a training program that prepares people to build resilience to climate change impacts on communities and ecosystems.

How Does Climate Stewards Work?

Through in-person sessions, field trips, and online learning, participants will:

Improve their understanding of climate science and climate change impacts on human communities and ecosystems.
Develop confidence and skill to communicate with others about climate change.
Connect with other community members and local organizations to work together on climate resiliency projects.
Help build a community of active Climate Stewards

What is Included in the Climate Stewards Curriculum?

Climate Stewards is a hybrid (online and in-person) training course. The curriculum is divided into the following units:

Unit 1: Community Connections – Connect through experiences with climate change and extreme weather, focusing on relationships, social-emotional resilience, and trauma-aware practices.
Unit 2: Communication, Interpretation, Education – Learn to communicate about climate change using the appropriate tools for various audiences.
Units 3 & 4: Climate in Context – Learn the science behind climate and earth systems, climate change, and the role of humans with examples from Oregon (locally adapted for the Oregon coast).
Unit 5: Community Resilience – Learn to leverage community connections and resources for climate resilience efforts focusing on community-specific risk and resilience assessments and collective solutions to climate change.
Unit 6: Community Engagement – Connect with community partners that offer volunteer opportunities related to climate stewardship and resilience work as part of a capstone project. Engage in one or more communities of practice related to climate change work.

The training course is typically delivered over 12 weeks. Courses include online lessons, in-person classroom sessions and field trips.

Climate Stewards Waitlist

If you are interested in being a participant in a Climate Stewards training course, please click the link below to be added.

We are currently not scheduling training courses at this time. When we do, we will use the waitlist to send details.

Click Here To Be Added To The Climate Stewards Waitlist

Pilot Initiative in the Columbia Gorge

The OSU Extension Service Oregon Naturalist program, through a partnership with the Columbia River Gorge Commission, Oregon Climate Change Research Institute, and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, developed a Climate Change curriculum and training that was piloted in the Columbia Gorge, Fall 2023. Check back here for a recap of the pilot training.

Click here if you you have questions or would like to support Climate Stewards