Teacher Conservation Institute, Phase II

June 26-30, 2017 

TCI Phase II is a five-day professional development camp for formal and nonformal educators who have previously attended TCI Phase I. Participants will receive facilitator training in Project Learning Tree and certification in Project WET 2.0 and the Leopold Education Project. We will investigate the many uses of East Texas forests through field trips to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, Fairchild State Forest, Caddo Mounds State Historic Site, and Stephen F. Austin State University. Participants will receive 40 hrs SBEC & TEEAC credit.

Phase II is a five-day high-energy program. The workshop begins on Monday and ends on Friday at noon, with evening programs extending until 8:30 PM. We will depart the camp at approximately 5:00 am one one morning to attempt to catch a glimpse of the endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker. Don't worry--nap time is built into the afternoon agenda! While some instruction will take place indoors, we will spend much of our time outside, including on-site field trips, and we may occasionally walk over rough terrain. Participants are required to attend all sessions in order to receive continuing education credit. Please be prepared for this rigorous schedule!

Our home base will be the lovely Bugscuffle Inn near Cushing, Texas. Although it is located in a country setting, it is equipped with amenities such as televisions, cell phone service, a salt-water swimming pool, and a fitness center. There is no wi-fi available at the Inn, so should you need to use the internet during the week you will have to access it through your own service provider.

Meals will be provided from Monday lunch through Friday breakfast. Lunch is typically sandwiches, salad or pizza, but may vary depending on our donors. Dinner usually consists of a main course containing meat, vegetable sides, and/or salad. If you have special dietary needs that you feel may not be met by our menu, please feel free to bring your own food as there is ample room for you to store and prepare it.

TCI is open to both formal and nonformal educators. Participants must be at least 18 years of age. While the registration fee is only $300.00, the actual cost of food, lodging, transportation and curriculum materials is over $650 per participant. We appreciate our many sponsors who provide funding and services that help us keep registration fees down.