WLCAC was able to connect nine youth to the Outdoor Youth Connection Training along with five staff members. Youth received training, exposure and an exchange of outdoor knowledge. This helped our youth initiate excitement, family traditions, and healing opportunities. For almost each youth in attendance, it was their first time ever seeing so many stars. The silence under the skies disturbed their sleep! Youth who attended the MudTown facility learned how to create their own organic fertilizer, plant seeds, harvest vegetable's and learned the benefits of healthy eating as they grow older. Youth also attended the Botanical Gardens where they connected with the outdoors and painted a reflection of the scenery. Their painting was then taken home where they debriefed their parents and siblings on their experience with hopes that they create a family trip in the near future.

Our Greenhouse Program for high school students completed a school year cohort and recruited and welcomed a new cohort. Students in this program engage in science, art, teamwork, public speaking, and habitat restoration activities. Student projects included topics such as making ink from natural materials, creating a story map about the ecological history of the local waterway, noise pollution in the park, and science illustration of native and non-native plants. Keeping a field notebook is a fundamental practice in the program, allowing students to collect data, sketch, and write personal reflections. Discussions about natural resource career pathways are woven into this program, as well as our summer intern program, and on-site library presentations. Youth participants in our summer camp engaged in nature observation activities, using science tools like binoculars, and mini-projects like insect costume design that allowed them to apply their science knowledge in an arts context.

The following partnership pertains to our WLCAC Outdoor Equity Grant: Southern California Counseling Center and Outward Bound Adventures

We conducted our first Outdoor Equity Collaborative meeting which we introduced staff and services provided via the Outdoor Equity Grant. We also exchanged a target start date for our partners, reviewed budgets and sub contractor templates. Finally, presentations and program recruitment events were conducted at local schools, community based organizations and community resource fairs in order to promote our Outdoor Equity program.

Our community programs included partnering with the Bresee Youth Group, Black Image Center, local Cub Scouts, and the local Sierra Club Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO) Program, all of which helped to bring community members of all ages to Baldwin Hills Parklands for nature walks and stewardship activities, many for the very first time. NNI staff have benefited from shared insights from the groups. We also established a new connection with a middle school in close proximity to Baldwin Hills Parklands, with school staff supporting students in achieving their community service hours requirement through participation in NNI’s stewardship events. This new school connection also supports our recruitment strategy for the Greenhouse Program. NNI has strengthened its collaboration with California State Parks: we co-led two LAWorks summer camp field trips to the Baldwin Hills Parklands, and we have initiated a monthly campfire program.

A few unforeseen challenges were: Weather, transportation break downs and location resources (Scout).

Lessons learned: Staff had to be creative in replacing "Nature Trips" with "Activities' in the Community" due to rain.

Youth were not well prepared for weather circumstances so we will need emergency jackets, sweaters, rain gear etc..

Ensuring our first aid kits are fully equipped along with water and other essentials (Feminine products) during trips.

In October we collaborated with staff from the Los Angeles Public Library and San Mateo County Library to present about library-to-greenspace trips at the California Library Association Annual Conference. Interest in our presentation was high, with over 100 library professionals attending the session. It was an ideal venue to better understand both existing resources that support as well as barriers to partnerships between libraries and environmental organizations. The presentation was informative for NNI in planning future programs, and also helped to share the concept and framework to librarians throughout the state. An unforeseen challenge that we continue to face is library staff turnover, delays in librarian hiring, and library closures. Our hub branch has been understaffed for well over a year and has been subjected to building closures, making it very challenging to maintain momentum with scheduling and program logistics, but we are working around this with community groups.