Electronic Green Journal

The Environmental Education community is at a very exciting time in its development with the strides the profession has made in formalizing the discipline, which include recognition from state and national organizations. There appear, however, to still be significant misconceptions about what Environmental Education is in the settings in which it is placed. These misconceptions are what Environmental Education practitioners are facing while the leaders in the field put in place an infrastructure of support. This article characterizes the position Environmental Educators commonly find themselves in and what can be done to better create environments for them to succeed. The article begins with a brief description of common perceptions that the environmental nonprofit organizations and formal school environments have of Environmental Education professionals. This is followed with recommendations that aim to help dispel misconceptions and aid Environmental Educators to meet their own needs.