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Previously, the workshops have been in the southeast prairies, lower Niobrara River, middle Niobrara, Oglala National Grasslands and the Loess Canyons BUL. Our goal is to engage educators in the outdoor classroom where they and their students live, familiarizing them with their unique habitat, wildlife, geography, history and conservation concerns. For 2017, the workshop will be held at Indian Cave State Park in Schubert. This area is located in the extreme southeastern portion of the state, where the majority of the habitat is eastern deciduous forest containing oaks, hickories and basswood. This location supports a high diversity of native flora and fauna that is found nowhere else in the state. Local natural resource professionals from a variety of conservation agencies including the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Pheasants Forever, Northern Prairies Land Trust and local area colleges are all invited to present at this workshop. They come to share their expertise and knowledge on a variety of topics including fire ecology, plant identification, bird mist netting, small mammal trapping, geologic history, reptile and amphibian identification, land management, citizen science and aquatic macroinvertebrates. Not only will educators gain knowledge in these subject areas, but they will also immerse themselves in hands-on training and experiences that guide many of the current research projects going on at Indian Cave State Park. For instance, this year educators will attempt radio telemetry on timber rattlesnakes. This species is considered a "species in need of conservation," yet has a secure population at this particular site. Participants will use equipment to track individual snakes that have been tagged for population studies at this BUL for the past three years. Participants will also mist net for bats and identify species caught, identify at-risk plants, learn about invasive species specific to this area and collect macroinvertebrates in the lower Platte River. Workshop participants receive Nebraska-specific educational resources and are trained to use environmental education curriculum guides that reinforce interdisciplinary education. Interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary education creates connections between core subject areas such as math, science and literature instead of compartmentalizing them. For example, one lesson in wildlife population fluctuations and limiting factors will cover science, math, conservation education and expressive arts. The goal of the LEED workshop is to immerse formal classroom educators into unique landscapes across Nebraska. Studies show that teachers who are familiar with an area, or have extensive knowledge about a subject, are more likely to teach it to their students. Our goal is to get students passionate about Nebraska. Working together as classroom educators, environmental educators, natural resource professionals and landowners, we hope to inspire the growth of deep roots in the place Nebraska students call home. ■ Over the last six years the Legacy Education in Environmental Discovery workshop has trained more than 120 educators across the state. If you or someone you know may be interested in attending the LEED workshop on June 26-27, 2017, at Indian Cave State Park, please email Monica.Macoubrie@Nebraska.gov. All teachers who participate in this free workshop will have lodging, meals and transportation between sites paid for. Registration is limited to 20 formal classroom teachers. b m g r i m s m g t t t t t c g S t a o T a c s p w i b s t P n s a i t m l MAY 2017 • NEBRASKAland 65 Teachers learn a variety of skills at LEED workshops, including the study of macroinvertebrates from canal water.