Education and Outreach
Public awareness of jumping worms is key to the Healthy Soil Collaborative approach. We offer multiple educational resources and learning opportunities across a spectrum of audiences, from classrooms to land trusts. We have developed a series of resources to supply critical information to diverse groups, and we will continue to update and expand those free offerings. We are also eager to connect with groups and organizations who might be interested in learning more about jumping worms.
Below is a sample of past and ongoing outreach opportunities we have provided. Please reach out if you are interested in setting up an educational opportunity specific for your group or organization, and check our Updates page for more.
Webinars & Talks
Our scientists regularly present webinars and in-person talks to a wide range of audiences, including university extensions, local garden clubs, nursery and landscape companies and associations, community conservation groups, public media events, master gardeners and naturalists, state agencies, regional invasive species organizations, and composter conventions. If you are interested in learning more about talks we have given, or in hosting an event with our team members, please reach out to us.
Collaborative Outreach
We work with government agencies and non-profit organizations, including the New Brunswick Invasive Species Council and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, to do collaborative public outreach and education through existing channels. We encourage organizations and groups who might be interested in combining our strengths to please contact us with inquiries to see how we could support our shared goals.
EmpowerU
Our participatory scientist specialist member, Angela Gupta, leads educational efforts to empower community members to bring ecological issues and concerns to policy makers. These courses are currently based at the University of Minnesota Extension, but through the Healthy Soil Collaborative, we are able to offer adapted versions of virtual and potentially in-person EmpowerU seminars to the larger public. Interested groups can contact us to learn specifics about how we can bring this service to your community.
Press
Healthy Soil Collaborative team members regularly speak with journalists and other communicators to promote public understanding of the jumping worms problem. Our scientists have appeared in The Atlantic, National Geographic, local news stations, and popular gardening podcasts among other outlets. See our news feed for our latest news coverage.