Our Commitment to Environmental Education & Stewardship:
Conservation Begins With Wonder™
At Turtley Yours Foundation, we believe children are more likely to protect the natural world when they first have the opportunity to wonder about it. The educational philosophy is created around a simple belief:
Conservation begins with wonder. When children are given opportunities to notice, explore, ask questions, and understand the natural world around them, wonder becomes curiosity. Curiosity leads to understanding. Understanding creates appreciation. And appreciation inspires protection.
Rather than simply telling children what they should protect, Conservation Begins with Wonder™ helps them discover why the natural world is worth protecting in the first place.
Our approach to environmental education for all our programs follows the same progression:
WONDER → CURIOSITY → UNDERSTANDING → APPRECIATION → PROTECTION
Through storytelling, hands-on experiences, accessible educational resources, and community programs, we help children and families discover the natural world, understand why it matters, and recognize that their actions can make a difference.
Our Commitment
We are committed to expanding access to engaging environmental education for children and families. We work toward this commitment by providing free and low-cost educational programs, children’s conservation literature, hands-on learning experiences, classroom resources, and opportunities for young people to turn what they learn into meaningful action.
Our programs are designed to meet children where curiosity begins—in a story, on a beach, in a classroom, at a library, or simply by asking, “What is that?”
We believe environmental stewardship should feel hopeful, achievable, and relevant to everyday life. We don’t believe in the “fear approach”, but rather leaning in – leaning into a child’s natural curiosity and sense of wonder.
Learning That Leads to Action
Turtley Yours Foundation develops programs and resources that encourage children to learn, explore, act, and lead.
Our growing educational initiatives include Wonder Workshops™, conservation-focused children’s literature and lesson plans, community and school programs, and the development of Conservation Scouts, a youth stewardship initiative designed to help children build environmental knowledge while taking meaningful conservation action.
Expanding Access
Accessibility is central to our mission. We partner with schools, libraries, conservation organizations, and community groups to bring environmental learning opportunities to children and families and to make educational resources available beyond individual programs and events.
Our goal is not simply to teach children facts about nature. It is to nurture the curiosity, connection, and confidence that can grow into lifelong stewardship.
Recognized Environmental Leadership
Our commitment to environmental education has also been recognized through the National Wildlife Federation EcoLeaders program. Our certified EcoLeader project, Connecting Children with Conservation Through Environmental Education, reflects our ongoing commitment to using storytelling, education, and hands-on experiences to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.
Because Everything Matters.
A sea turtle. A shorebird. A mangrove. A jellyfish. A child who stops to ask a question.
We believe the small things matter—and that small moments of wonder can grow into something much bigger.
Conservation Begins With Wonder™. Because Everything Matters.
