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HOW WE GOT STARTED
 Eastern
Kern County Resource Conservation District received a National
Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF) grant
of $7,000 and raised $7,000 in Challenge Funds from community
groups to establish the Sand Canyon Environmental Education Program
(SEEP) in Ridgecrest California for the 1994/95 school year.
This represents the first environmental education program for
the local area and is important because the area is somewhat
isolated and the closest environmental program currently available
is about two hours away. The NEETF grant was one of 30 awarded
nationwide for the Fall 1994 grant cycle. Only two were awarded
in California.
 The
SEEP grant program is based on a progressive partnership between
the Bureau of Land Management, the Maturango Museum, the Sierra
Sands Unified School District and the Eastern Kern County Resource
Conservation District. The Resource Conservation District is
administering the grant, and is coordinating the fundraising
efforts and the volunteer recruitment for the program. Over 16
agencies, businesses and local groups or clubs contributed $7,000
in Challenge Funds with contributions ranging from individual
donations of $25 to agency or business support of $1,000 from
the Indian Wells Valley Water District, U.S. Borax, Inc., and
North American Chemical Corporation. During the seven field trips
to the canyon, and the pre-site and post-site classroom visits
conducted March through May 1995, over 1,000 volunteer hours
were contributed by 14 groups in the community. Volunteers came
from the Bureau of Land Management, the Audubon Society, the
California Native Plant Society, East Kern County Resource Conservation
District, the Maturango Museum, local artists, the China Lake
Fire Division, Liberty Ambulance, the Historical Society and
Cerro Coso Community College to name a few.
 The
grant made it possible for about 800 sixth grade students from
all public, private and home study schools to visit Sand Canyon,
a unique desert riparian area, to study plants, animals water
and the desert environment. The outdoor classroom provided plenty
of opportunities for hands-on learning activities during the
full-day field trips.
Giving Back to the Community: Equipment such as microscopes, spotting scopes,
binoculars, hand lenses, field guides, and first aid kits are
available at the Maturango Museum to be checked out by Scouts,
families, teachers, and other members of the community.
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