Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable

Lighthouse Camp for Natural Resource Education — Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education

Save-the-Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Each year, teachers, environmental educators and nature enthusiasts from around the Barnegat Bay watershed (and around the state!) look forward to the Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable, OCSCD’s annual professional development event.

The Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable is held each year on the third Wednesday in April. Our 29th Annual Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable will take place on April 22, 2026 – on Earth Day itself, offering a timely opportunity to reflect on the origins and evolution of the environmental movement. This year’s theme, “Earth Day: Past, Present and Future” invites educators, conservation professionals and nature enthusiasts to explore how Earth Day has shaped our collective understanding of environmental stewardship from its grassroots beginnings in 1970 to today’s global call to action. Together, through workshops, exhibitors and our panel of keynote speakers, we’ll revisit the history of Earth Day, recognizing the passionate local individuals and movements that helped spark environmental awareness and change. We’ll examine the current challenges and innovations shaping the present – climate resilience, habitat restoration, environmental justice and education in an increasingly interconnected world. Most importantly, we will look ahead to the future of conservation, education, and community engagement, asking: What role will we play in empowering the next generation of environmental stewards?

Through engaging hands-on workshops, and shared dialogue, the 2026 BBEERT will honor the past, ground us in the present, and inspire forward-thinking action to protect and preserve Barnegat Bay – and the planet – for years to come. The 29th Annual Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable will be held at the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education, Waretown, NJ. We hope you will join us!

History of the Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable:

The Ocean County Soil Conservation District has been effectively coordinating and implementing this professional development event since 1997. It is specifically designed for educators to enhance their knowledge of local natural resources, culture and history, and gain valuable tools that support environmental topics in the classroom, through participation in hands-on, experiential workshops and field trips. The Roundtable helps promote a commitment to environmental stewardship in educators and the students they teach.

This Professional Development program is Ocean County Soil Conservation District’s annual signature event. The Open House hosts nearly two dozen exhibitors, and dinner and desert are served to our hungry Educators. Each year offers a different theme that guides the focus of our workshops and field trips. Our Keynote Speaker concludes the evening with an inspirational presentation, followed by Door Prizes.

The Roundtable has a proven success rate with Ocean County educators. The educational programs and opportunities available from all participating agencies, organizations and groups allows a comprehensive approach to watershed education and provides educators with a “one-stop-shop” approach. It is well known that educators are more likely to present and teach topics with which they are familiar and comfortable. The main goal and objective of the annual Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable is to provide this opportunity for teachers and to spur action to improve and protect the health of the Barnegat Bay watershed.

We hope you will join us in 2026 for our 29th Annual Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable. For more information, contact Becky Laboy, Education Outreach Coordinator, education@soildistrict.org. In addition, please peruse our Lesson Plans & Resources for Educators webpage to find pertinent teaching and learning materials for your classroom or outdoor learning experiences.

Terry O’Leary and McDuffy Barrow, of the Forest Resource Education Center, teach a group of educators about bees at the 2010 Environmental Educators Roundtable.

“Excellent workshops! I will use the lessons in my own class and will share with other teachers in my school. Thank you!!” ~Anne B. Stafford Intermediate School