Further information: Heath Packard or Nina Carter, 360-786-8020; or hpackard@audubon.org, ncarter@audubon.org

Olympia - Late Wednesday afternoon, April 16, 2003, Governor Gary Locke signed the state's first law focused solely on environmental education: HB 1466, the Natural Science, Wildlife and Environmental Education Partnership Fund Act. This bill creates an account in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide grants for proven and innovative environmental education programs across the state.

"This fund holds incredible promise for today's students, who will be
tomorrow's citizens and leaders," said Jeff Parsons, executive director for Audubon Washington. "Research nationwide shows that students exposed to hands-on, field-based natural science education consistently perform better on all subjects throughout their academic careers."

Eligible grant recipients are not-for-profit organizations that partner with schools, agencies, businesses, and other organizations to provide quality, balanced natural science curricula and materials on Washington's lands and waters, flora and fauna, and human use and impact. No appropriation to the fund was made this session.

"This fund could dramatically increase our efforts to assist public schools teach kids about the wonders of natural science in fun and innovative ways,” said Dr. Deborah B. Jensen, President and CEO of the Woodland Park Zoo.

"I have been very impressed with environmental education programs across the state and their positive effects on students' enthusiasm and learning and teachers' motivations," said Rep. Dave Quall, (D-Bellingham) primary sponsor of HB 1466. "A broad-based coalition supported this effort which can, when funded, serve a diverse cross-section of Washington's students."

Washington's Director of the Fish and Wildlife Dept., Jeff Koenings, praised the fund's potential to foster local partnerships between schools and the public and private sectors. "It will nurture students as citizen scientists as well as responsible recreationists," he said.

First introduced in 2001, HB 1466 received support and endorsements from an unprecedented coalition of elected public officials of both parties, as well as organizations and agencies including: Audubon Washington, Environmental Education Association of Washington, Governor's Council on Environmental Education, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Principals Association, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Education Association, Washington State Farm Bureau, Washington State School
Directors' Association, Washington Forest Protection Association, and the Woodland Park Zoological Society.

For more information about the zoo’s tigers and worldwide conservation efforts, check out Woodland Park Zoo’s Web site at www.zoo.org. Zoo spring hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. For general zoo information, log on the zoo’s Web site or call 206-684-4800.