The Environmental Professionals Organization of Connecticut (EPOC) is pleased to announce our environmental grant awards for 2024 as follows (total amount of all awards is $10,650):

• Connecticut Zoological Society (DBA Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo)

  The Conservation Discovery Corps is the only program of its kind in Connecticut, providing local conservation efforts while offering a unique citizen-science-based approach for high school students of all backgrounds and abilities to explore zoology and environmental careers. Through STEAM-based hands-on experiences, students enhance their critical thinking and interpersonal abilities essential for any future career. In the spring and summer, youth receive first-hand experience in scientific methods, animal husbandry, STEAM activities, leadership, and teamwork. EPOC's grant will support the purchase of the artifacts and materials used by students in their stations and public presentations. These items will provide students with the necessary materials to develop and practice their public skills, scientific thinking, and educational conservation actions.

  
  

• Woodcock Nature Center
  
  Woodcock Nature Center exists to re-connect the community to nature and to one another. One of our most important roles is to steward the 152-acre state owned property on which our nature center buildings and trails sit. EPOC's grant will assist with purchasing three Extractigators along with their related accessories which will help Woodcock Nature Center to more efficiently gain control of invasive species such as wineberry, bittersweet, grape vine and euonymus that are encroaching on the yard and trails. These tools, along with the BigFoot accessory, which can be clamped on for added leverage in soft soil, will also help with removing big stands of Burning Bush and Multiflora Rose along their parking area.
  
  

•  Stamford Museum & Nature Center

  The Stamford Museum & Nature Center is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art and popular culture, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. EPOC's grant will help create a small evergreen holly grove in the external boundaries of an existing picnic area, just off of their Wheels in the Woods all-accessible trail. This area is typically visited by thousands of visitors each year. Funds will support the purchase of holly plants, both male and female to ensure berry production, from one or more of our local native nursery partners to be able to start the creation of a Holly Grove wildlife habitat. The habitat will be created and managed by the SM&NC education and land-use staff. The grove would also have an educational sign created to interpret it to visitors.

  
  

• Connecticut Scuba Academy (Non-Profit Educational Organization for Marine & Aquatic Sciences)
  
  The Connecticut Scuba Academy hopes to inspire and empower youth to take on environmental challenges. EPOC's grant will support an expedition of 12 Sound School High School students from New Haven, CT, along with 12 lifelong learners, adding a fresh perspective to our conservation efforts. In collaboration with their esteemed partners, Sound School and the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, they will embark on the research vessel Island Rover to recover abandoned lobster pots and nets. These Ghost pots and nets pose an immediate threat to marine life, continuing to catch and kill indiscriminately.

  
  

• Earthplace, Inc. (Harbor Watch program)
  
  The mission of Earthplace is to build a passion in our community for nature and the environment through education, experience, and action. Earthplace has been based in Westport, Connecticut since 1958, and has grown to include many mission-related resources including a state-licensed preschool, a natural history museum, and Harbor Watch, their renowned water quality research program.  EPOC's grant will support materials for the installation of 5 fishing line recycling receptacles along the Norwalk River and Saugatuck River at popular fishing locations. These spots are often secluded and away from areas where traditional trash bins are present, therefore there is no option to encourage disposal of discarded line at all. Using the standard model developed by Boat US Foundation that is now fairly recognizable by fisherman, we will build and install 5 recycling receptacles out of PVC. The goal of this action is to improve water quality by reducing contamination and the proposed receptacles aims to provide fishermen and women with a designated area to properly dispose of old, broken, or tangled fishing line to prevent its entry into our waterways.
  
  

• KNOX, Inc.
  
  KNOX’s mission is: “Connecting and empowering our communities to grow a greener, healthier Hartford." Key services at KNOX include providing Hartford young adults with green job skills, managing and maintaining community gardens, training urban farmers, teaching children environmental education, restoring the urban forest, and greening the city. EPOC's grant will support  paid job training to 35 Hartford young adults through the Green Jobs Apprenticeships program. The goal of the program is to place Hartford young adults in full-time jobs that improve their full potential. Apprentices gain hands-on work experience, technical and professional skills, and certifications while completing a variety of landscaping projects throughout Hartford. This project will take place in Hartford, CT. This program uniquely prepares apprentices for green industry careers through industry-specific trainings and experience working in the field.
  
  

• Cheshire Pollinator Pathway Inc.
  
  Cheshire Pollinator Pathway creates native plant gardens in neglected spaces to sustain pollinators and local wildlife; support healthy ecosystems and watersheds, and educate the community on environmental best practices.  Cheshire Pollinator Pathway has installed several gardens from scratch along the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. EPOC's grant will help maintain these areas from invasives (peripheral), as we continue to extend and plant out from these gardens. These were formerly uncared for spaces. A major part of the work involves clearing invasives, such as buckthorn, barberry, autumn olive, privet and vines. They are also creating a native tree and shrub nursery for our gardens and for public giveaways at Boulder Knoll Community Farm in Cheshire.
  
  

• Town of Hebron Parks & Recreation Department - Trail Rangers
  
  The Town of Hebron Parks & Recreation Department is charged with maintaining open spaces and trails for passive recreational use and wildlife habitat. EPOC's grant will support equipment purchase to remove the non-native invasive plants- bittersweet, multiflora rose, autumn olive, and others from a field at the Old Hibbert open space to maintain the turtle habitat and allow access to the river. Success will be measured by the decrease in population of the afore-mentioned plants the following growing season, which can be photo documented.  

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The EPOC Grant Program provides non-profit and not-for-profit environmental advocacy groups, community-based groups and environmental education organizations, funding for local projects that benefit the environment on an annual basis. For further information, see our Grant Program page on our website at epoc.org/grants.