Youth Stewardship & Environmental Summit
We help local schools and youth clubs with hands on experiences relating to Great Lakes ecology, riparian habitats, invasive species, pollinators, soil and water conservation and more. Students gain a sense of community, self-pride, and accomplishment working together towards the development and maintenance of our Niagara River Greenway. Our goal is to create life long stewards!
2026 Environmental Ambassador Summit
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2026 Environmental Ambassador Summit
The 4th Annual Environmental Ambassador Summit, held February 10 at Linde in the Town of Tonawanda, brought together students from seven regional high schools to present hands-on conservation projects benefiting the Niagara River corridor—from bat habitat construction and pollinator installations to invasive species management and native plant initiatives. Top honors went to Niagara Wheatfield High School’s Bat Mansion Project (1st), followed by Niagara Falls High School’s Pollinator House Installation at Hyde Park (2nd) and Niagara Wheatfield’s Elderberries Project (3rd), with each team receiving funding to implement their work. We are grateful to our many partners—including Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, New York State Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, local colleges, agencies, and community organizations—for mentoring students and highlighting environmental career pathways, and we thank Deputy County Executive Lisa Chimera and Robbyn Drake of Ecos Cooperative for encouraging students to lead with sustainability in all they do.
For more information, please contact:
Michelle Lockett,
Community Engagement Director
A catalog of environmental organizations and speakers who are working with us to educate youth about our natural resources, like the Niagara River!
"As educators, we play a vital role in shaping future generations. This is why it is so important to promote civic responsibility, volunteerism, and a desire to make the community a better place."
~ Mr. Sabatino Cimato, Superintendent
Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District
"The students couldn't stop talking about how much they enjoyed the process, including working on the projects in class as well as the entire day at the Summit. There are too many valuable life and career skills the students learned to list, but I am thankful they had this opportunity.."~ Mr. Sabatino Cimato, SuperintendentKenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District
A series of 11 lesson plans with coordinating activities for secondary students, focused on restoring and maintaining our environment.
Riverside High School installing a solar water pump to bring water up from a rain barrel into their student built greenhouse to water native plants!
Tapestry Charter School's 5th Grade class putting in a new pollinator garden outside their school!
Niagara Wheatfield students working on their Eco-Campus Revitalization Project:
