Education and Environmental Literacy

The primary measure of success is to engage 1.3 million members of the public, including youth, educators, and adults, in Long Island Sound educational programming and outreach by 2030. The numeric target is based on engaging a total of 275,000 people a year, which is a 10 percent increase from the 2023 Long Island Sound Futures Fund reporting and program data. 

Status

Programs like the Long Island Sound Schools Network, the Mentor Teacher Program, and projects supported by the Long Island Sound Futures Fund and Community Impact Fund, engage youth and educators in watershed-focused education and outreach. In 2025, the Partnership and its supported activities reached 406,708 youth and adults, far exceeding the annual target of 275,000 people annually through 2030. This objective focuses on raising public understanding of Long Island Sound and its watershed through education programs, outreach, and informational materials about the Sound’s condition, management, and restoration. 

Because these are new measures, we do not yet have trends to report. However, we can draw on results from the 2024 Public Perception Study to establish a baseline. These results show that while residents care about the environment, many are unaware they live in the watershed and are uncertain about how their actions affect water quality. National studies of environmental education programs have shown that hands-on, place-based learning is linked to increases in knowledge and awareness, even when programs do not run formal pre- and post-tests. Regular public perception surveys, which will be conducted every 3–5 years, will help track whether knowledge is improving across the watershed.   

Challenges

Reaching participation targets is not a major challenge, but several barriers affect our ability to strengthen environmental literacy:

• Knowledge vs. engagement: High participation does not necessarily mean participants leave with deeper knowledge or new behaviors. Although research suggests this is the case, without administering our own standardized pre- and post- assessments, we cannot quantify knowledge increases.

• Measuring knowledge gained: The public perception survey is conducted every three to five years, but there is no consistent way to annually assess knowledge improvements across programs.

• Misinformation: Watershed residents are exposed to inaccurate or misleading information from unreliable sources, which complicates education efforts.

• Geographic reach: Ensuring programs and resources extend across the upper watershed states remains an ongoing priority.

• Capacity: Expanding education efforts requires continued funding and staffing support to sustain and grow programs.

Importance

Equipping both students and adults with environmental knowledge of Long Island Sound positions them to become better decision-makers, collaborators, and stewards of the Sound and its watershed. Research has shown that environmental education can improve environmental knowledge and literacy among participants, which can lead to an increase in environmentally sustainable behaviors moving forward. Additionally, effective environmental education programming may facilitate feelings of belonging and a sense of “place-meaning”’ among participants – another predictor of pro-environmental behavior.

Effective education and enhanced environmental literacy are particularly important when it comes to nitrogen pollution from non-point sources, which remains one of the greatest challenges to the health of Long Island Sound. Addressing this issue requires an informed public who understands both the problem and the specific actions individuals can take to reduce their impact. Expanding environmental education and ensuring that Long Island Sound watershed residents have accurate, accessible information will be essential to maintaining and improving the Sound’s condition in the decades ahead.