It is the missin of the Dallas Public Schools Environmental Education Center to interpret, preserve, protect and share informqation regarding the natural history and ecology of north Texas for the students and teachers of the Dallas Schools, and the families and residents of north Texas.
To preserve and protect the natural resources at the Environmental Center and the Dallas County Post Oak Preserve for future generations and to interpret the natural history of north central Texas to a predominantly urban student/visitor population.
To promote and implement quality environmental education and interpretation for all citizens based on the latest national, state and local programs, guidelines, and models.
To provide unique outdoor learning programs and field expereinces that enable classroom teachers to implement the environmental content contained within the Science, Social Studies and other State and District curricula.
Ensuring that Center programs support state and national standards and guidelines in Science, Social Studies, Environmental Education and other appropriate curricular areas.
Providing students with opportunities to increase their knowledge and skills as measured by the TAAS and other performance measures.
To assist visitors of all ages, backgrounds and cultures in developing awareness, knowledge, skills and attitudes resulting in a more environmentally literate citizenry.
To teach respect and appreciation for all life and model constructive, sustainable actions towards the environment.
The Dallas Public Schools and the Environmental Education Center believe that the success of this and future generations depends largely on how we value and treat the environment and the development within all children of an understanding of our relationship with planet earth. A very important part of a truly complete education includes learning about and becoming a good steward of our planet and all of its living and non-living resources. The Environmental Education Center was established in the late 1970s to provide hands-on environmental, education experiences utilizing a variety of special resources and programs to support science, social sutdies and other State and local curricula.
The Center is situated in southeast Dallas County, in Seagoville, approximately 25 miles from downtown Dallas. The 200 + are site and the adjacent 334 acre Dallas County Post Oak naure Preserve are home to 3 nature trails through pond, forest, and grassland habitats. The site also features a new 26,00 square foot museum with a theater and interactive exhibits featuring north Texas plants and animals, environmental laboratories, native plant and vegetable gardesn, ponds for aquatic studies, a live animals laboratory, a large working barn with a collection of farm animals, a camping area and many other collections and resources use to provide environmental insturction.
Plants, Mammals, Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians, Insects. These are mostly preserved specimens and study skins, however we do have some live animasl also. We also have rock and mineral and fossil collections ans some Indian artifacts. These are not museum type collections, but rather teaching collections that are utilized in our visitor programs.