Park ranger presents program to school group at Canyon Rim Visitor Center

Environmental education programs promote the protection of natural and cultural resources within the park, and within the environment as a whole, through hands-on opportunities for learning. The programs are offered to school groups and community organizations as part of a park visit or as an outreach program in the classroom. Programs support the West Virginia Standards for Learning.

The Pre-visit and Post-visit Education Packet is a series of units designed to reinforce the objectives of an environmental education experience in the park. Each unit includes an overview, set of pre- and post-visit activities, in-park program objectives, glossary, resource list, and references. The current units are New River Gorge National River (all grades); habitats (K-1^st grade); water quality and water safety (grades 2-3); railroading, logging, and coal mining (grades 4-6).

The Kindergarten to Fifth-grade Curriculum-based Education Program is centered in the classroom, with a one-hour park ranger visit to each classroom of participating schools in the fall and/or in the spring. Program topics are national parks (kindergarten), habitats (1^st grade), communities (2^nd grade), ecosystems (3^rd grade), West Virginia history (4^th grade), and responsible action (5^th grade).

Water We Can Live With is a water resource education curriculum that focuses on current and critical issues concerning water quality within the New River Watershed. The six-week curriculum includes a weekly ranger presentation and student activities for the following units: the New River Watershed, water and people, point and non-point source pollution, water quality, aquatic species, and water resources protection.

A Junior Ranger Activity Book offers young park visitors, ages 6-12, an enjoyable and meaningful way to explore the habitats and history of the park.