Keynote Presentation – GCA Zone III Symposium: "Growing Connections"
Speaker: CJ Reilly III
Speaker: CJ Reilly III
This presentation was delivered as the keynote address at the Garden Club of America’s Zone III "Growing Connections" symposium — a two-day event focused on environmental education, stewardship, and intergenerational collaboration.
My talk highlighted how we've integrated K–12 environmental education into applied learning programs that align with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) grants. Through partnerships with Harvard Forest and Cornell University, we've developed research opportunities that connect professional science with student-led inquiry, enabling young people to engage meaningfully in ecological research and land stewardship.
These efforts have helped elevate the ecological understanding of Irvington Woods Park, resulting in several milestones:
One of only three Southern Westchester sites inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network
Recognition through the Geo for Good Google Earth Engine Award
One of just five municipal recipients of a $500,000 NYSDEC Urban Forestry Grant
The presentation explored how these outcomes stem from building strong connections across age groups, institutions, and disciplines and how youth, when empowered through civic and environmental projects, can help shape a more adaptive, informed, and compassionate generation of environmental stewards.
