PEARL - Promoting Conservation, Responsible Recreation, and Public Education through Innovative Information Technology
Summary:
The best resource conservation principles depend on the best education practices. The web-based, GIS, map-searchable, PEARL database connects Maine to information in new ways to enhance access to recreational and tourism information, conservation and environmental data, and to compliment traditional environmental curricula.
Having successfully completed the initial design and implementation stages of development, we are now entering the next, planned phase of PEARL expansion. This proposal outlines objectives that will build upon existing accomplishments by adding new features, content, and data sharing capabilities of direct interest to new and current collaborators and constituents, including educators, outdoor sports enthusiasts, tourists, realtors, and scientists. A main deliverable is the development of a new Student Portal that will provide all Maine teachers with access to water education curriculum materials and new, conservation information to create custom lesson plans.
Objectives:
The activities to be accomplished will serve multiple clients and fulfill a diverse set of goals for several agencies and organizations. Lakes are a statewide resource, and PEARL and the MLCI's educational program reach-our statewide using the latest in information technology to bridge regions in Maine. The main objectives are to enhance lake conservation and access to recreational information, and to develop new, environmental education tools as follows:
- To enrich conservation and stewardship information and access via PEARL's website,
- To provide recreation-related lake information to the public,
- To create a Student Portal on the PEARL website that actively involves students and teachers in lake education,
- To develop curriculum materials created by the MLCI and Maine Project WET, and to serve and evaluate educational activities via the PEARL website.
Project Reports:
Annual Report, July-October 2002
