News from the Friends of Reinstein

REINSTEIN WOODS WILL TRAIN TEACHERS TO BECOME WATERSHED EDUCATORS

Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Grant Supports Place-based Great Lakes Education

Buffalo, NY – Friends of Reinstein Woods and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are collaborating to present a Niagara River/Lake Erie (NRLE) Classroom workshop series this January and February. The NRLE Classroom program connects students to their local watershed and the Great Lakes through hands-on, place-based field trips and classroom activities. Friends of Reinstein Woods received a $7,315 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo to provide water testing equipment, teacher stipends, and free student field trips for participating teachers.

Ten local educators of students in grades 4-12 were accepted into the 2025 NRLE Classroom program. Participants will attend four workshops to plan Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) for students while also being trained in the nationally recognized Project WET (Water Education Today) curriculum. Teachers will receive a $150 stipend for participating in the four-week program.

Participants will become familiar with water quality testing equipment and protocols before planning their spring field trip. The grant covers all field trip expenses, allowing the new NRLE teachers to provide a free, hands-on science experience for their students.

“We have supported watershed experiences through ‘Day in the Life’ field trips for thirteen years,” said Friends of Reinstein Woods President Daniel Haeusser. “We are extremely grateful for the generous support of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, which allows us to expand our network of NRLE teachers and connect more youth to local water quality issues. There is excitement over this important opportunity to connect broader ecological issues to the local Niagara River/Lake Erie environment.”

Teachers come from six school districts (Amherst, Buffalo, Cheektowaga Central, Orchard Park, Frontier, Eden) and from Cattaraugus Allegany BOCES.   

Media members are invited to learn more about the program during the “Day in the Life of the NRLE Watershed” workshop on January 21. To attend, contact Joann Flores at (716) 683-5959.

About Friends of Reinstein Woods:

Friends of Reinstein Woods is a volunteer-led, nonprofit organization that supports the environmental education programs offered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center. We provide vital financial and volunteer support for programs aimed at school children, teachers, youth from underserved neighborhoods, and the public. We also support stewardship projects designed to protect and restore the natural habitats at Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve.

About The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo:

For more than a century, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo has enhanced and encouraged long-term philanthropy in the Western New York community. A 501 (c)(3) organization, the Community Foundation’s mission is: Connecting people, ideas and resources to improve lives in Western New York. Established in 1919, the Community Foundation has made the most of the generosity of individuals, families, foundations and organizations who entrust charitable assets to the Community Foundation’s care. Learn more at cfgb.org.

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