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Program activities and related outcomes for at-risk youth include: • Engaging youth in the creation and development of habitat for the Center's new Butterfly House (the outdoor service project) will build leadership and team building skills. • Master Naturalist volunteer and TPWD facility staff-led presentations and guided tours will introduce youth to new areas of study and possible careers in the outdoor/environmental field. • Providing supervised opportunities for at-risk older youth to mentor and assist younger children with camp activities will help to develop confidence, self esteem and interpersonal skills. 9. Project Activities Related to TPWD Initiatives The Outdoor Environmental Education Access Initiative promotes multiple TPWD-related activities, including: environmental education programs; nature hikes; bird-watching; wildlife viewing; plant identification, and an outdoor service project. Project activities will take place at the Nature Center and at various parks, preserves and natural attractions around Central Texas. 10. Promotion of Outdoor Educational Activities Goal 1: Introduce youth to local and regional parks and green-spaces. Objective 1: Increase awareness and utilization of local and regional parks and green-spaces by youth, their friends and family members. Goal 2: Instill in youth a heightened respect for and sense of responsibility to take action to protect and preserve our environment. Objective 2: Increase awareness and understanding among youth of the interrelatedness of everything in nature and how their/our actions (i.e., littering) impact our environment. Goal 3: Teach youth outdoor safety and survival skills, i.e.: bringing water and snacks to hike, staying on the trail, staying with your group, bringing maps, telling others where you are going before you leave, how to use a compass. Objective 3: Increase knowledge and ability of youth to safely enjoy our parks and green-spaces. Goal 4: Guide and engage youth of all ages in the creation, development and maintenance of the Nature Center's butterfly habitat (our outdoor service component). Objective 4: Increase knowledge among youth of botany and the relationship between animals and their habitat, while building self-esteem, teamwork and leadership skills. 11. Outdoor Service Project Component The outdoor service component of the Outdoor Environmental Education Access Initiative will engage and guide youth in the creation, development and maintenance of habitat for our Butterfly House, which is currently under construction in the gardens directly behind the Nature Center building. Funded in part through a grant from the Mitchell Foundation, the Butterfly House will provide a beautiful habitat for 7 species of butterflies with plants, a walkway, fountains, housing for the caterpillars, and educational signage to teach visitors about the butterflies in our area. Volunteers and youth will plant, propagate and care for plants that butterflies and caterpillars need to live and grow in and around the Butterfly House and in a separate greenhouse. The kids will decide what types of butterfly plants their group would like to grow and to see the relationships between plant and butterfly species. They will also monitor the plants' growth and work to improve the health of plants, caterpillars, and butterflies by adjusting watering, supplements, sunlight, and shade. Youth and volunteers will replace plants in the Butterfly House as needed; water, weed and mulch the planted areas; move caterpillars to the insectivory and clean the fountains. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Rev April09 TRPA - Communitv Outdoor Outreach Proaram Pane R