Community & Environment provides education resources for achieving community flexibility and responsiveness to environmental issues. Educational activities not only build individual knowledge and skills but also help “communities of interest” to build an infrastructure for change that is sustainable, equitable, and empowering.

Areas of Expertise

Community & Environment resources were developed under the leadership of Elaine Andrews in her work with the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension. Elaine investigates approaches and strategies on behalf of public officials, community educators, and natural resources professionals.

Elaine initiated research and developed resources for education outreach initiatives in Wisconsin, initiatives in the Great Lakes States, and for national audiences in cooperation with Federal, regional and local government agencies; natural resource professionals; and nonprofit organizations. Topics include: community environment, water resources, environmental health, risk communication, and community hazardous materials policy and management.

Consulting projects expand on specialized topics.

Products include published reports and studies, model education materials, and recommended methods.

Throughout, Elaine applies a collaborative philosophy. Resources and studies are each developed in partnership with an advisory committee, working through a process involving needs assessment, identifying practical solutions and techniques for enabling participants to build skills, pilot testing, evaluation, and reporting. Products are used to advise national, state, and local agencies and groups about audience-relevant program strategies and environmental education techniques; as content for university course and conference lectures; and as resources for work with university specialists, public agencies, and private organizations to promote effective environmental education.

Andrews has served on numerous Boards of Directors, including as President and as Executive Director for the North American Association for Environmental Education (while on part-time loan from the UW). She has been Principal Investigator for over 30 national or multi-state projects, for most of the major funders in the field of environmental education, including USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service; USDA Forest Service; U.S. Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Geological Survey; the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; and the National Environmental Education Foundation. 

 

Community & Environment Consulting, 1979-2017, Owner
​Elaine L. Andrews

​University of Wisconsin, Environmental Resources Center, Emeritus
Director, 2005-2011
Environmental Education Specialist, 1979-2011

Education
M.S., Natural Resources,
University of Michigan, 1978

M.A.T., Biology (Master of Arts in Teaching),
University of Chicago, 1972

​B.A., Biology,
​College of Wooster, Ohio, 1970