Announcing CLEARING’s New Editorial Calendar — and a Call to Celebrate the Spirit of Cascadia at NAAEE 2026
As environmental educators, we know that the power of place begins right here — in our watersheds, forests, coasts, and communities. That’s why CLEARING Magazine is excited to introduce a new editorial calendar designed to spotlight the themes, voices, and innovations shaping environmental education across the Pacific Northwest and the greater Cascadia bioregion.
This refreshed calendar will guide our publication over the coming year and beyond, aligning our content around shared topics that matter most to educators in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Idaho, Alaska, and beyond — from climate resilience and outdoor learning to Indigenous perspectives and environmental justice.
And the timing couldn’t be better. In late 2026, the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Conference will bring the continent’s environmental education community to our region. This is an extraordinary opportunity to unify our regional efforts and showcase the best of Cascadia’s EE leadership — the creativity, collaboration, and deep sense of place that define our work here.
Through this new editorial vision, CLEARING invites educators, storytellers, researchers, artists, and community leaders to contribute to a collective portrait of what environmental education looks like in Cascadia today — and where it’s headed next. Together, we can amplify local stories, strengthen regional connections, and welcome the wider EE world to experience what makes this place so remarkable.
Stay tuned for the full editorial calendar and upcoming calls for submissions — and join us as we prepare to celebrate Cascadia’s environmental education community on the national stage.
CLEARING
2026 Editorial Calendar:
Look to see where you can contribute an article, essay, or other content throughout the year…
Spring Issue: Roots & Renewal 🌱
Focus: Reconnecting with Nature & Place
- Place-based education in action
- Indigenous knowledge and seasonal cycles
- Youth poetry/art celebrating renewal
- Outdoor classrooms and garden projects
- Feature: “Teaching Biodiversity through Local Landscapes”
Publication date: March 1, 2026
Summer Issue: Water & Community 💧
Focus: Rivers, Oceans, and Shared Resources
- Watersheds as living classrooms
- Climate change and water resilience
- Community spotlight: tribal and local stewardship of rivers/lakes
- Classroom practices: water quality monitoring projects
- Youth voices: “Why Water Matters to My Future”
Submission deadline: April 30, 2026
Publication date: June 1, 2026
Fall Issue: Justice & Voices of Change 🍂
Focus: Equity, Advocacy, and Environmental Citizenship
- Environmental justice in schools and communities
- Centering youth leadership in climate action
- Case study: EE programs serving underrepresented communities
- Research & policy: equity frameworks in EE
- Feature essay: “Teaching Hope in a Time of Crisis”
Submission deadline: July 31, 2026
Publication date: September 1, 2026
Winter Issue: Resilience & Restoration ❄️
Focus: Building Sustainable Futures
- Climate literacy and adaptation strategies
- Restoration projects as learning spaces
- Educator spotlight: resilience in teaching practice
- Systems thinking and sustainable cities
- Closing reflection: “Stories of Hope from the Field”
Submission deadline: October 31, 2026
Publication date: December 1, 2026
Departments & Recurring Sections
(with examples)
Field Notes
- River Restoration in the Pacific Northwest: A Case Study
- Outdoor Classrooms in Urban Schools
Classroom Practices
- Systems Thinking Activities for Middle School
- Using Art to Teach Environmental Justice
Community Spotlight
- A Tribal-Led Education Program in the Columbia River Basin
- Community Gardens as Learning Hubs
Voices & Perspectives
- Interview with an EE Pioneer: Reflections on 30 Years of Practice
- Essay: “Finding Hope in a Time of Climate Anxiety”
Research & Policy
- The State of EE Policy in North America
- Measuring the Impact of EE on Student Engagement
Youth Pages
- Poetry & Art by Young Environmentalists
- Profiles of Student Climate Leaders
CLEARING 2026 Editorial Calendar
| Season / Issue | Theme | Feature Articles | Recurring Sections | Youth / Community Voices | Closing Reflection |
| Spring 🌱 | Roots & Renewal (Place, Biodiversity, Connection) |
– Teaching Biodiversity through Local Landscapes – Indigenous Knowledge & Seasonal Cycles |
– Classroom Practices: Garden-Based Learning – Research & Policy: Place-Based EE |
– Student Artwork & Poetry on Renewal – Community Spotlight: Schoolyard Habitats |
“Reconnecting with Place” |
| Summer 💧 | Water & Community (Watersheds, Oceans, Shared Resources) |
– Watersheds as Living Classrooms – Climate & Water Resilience |
– Classroom Practices: Water Monitoring Projects – Field Notes: River Education in Action |
– Youth Essay: “Why Water Matters” – Community Spotlight: Tribal River Stewardship |
“Listening to the Water” |
| Fall 🍂 | Justice & Voices of Change (Equity, Advocacy, Citizenship) |
– Environmental Justice in EE – Youth Leadership in Climate Action |
– Research & Policy: Equity in EE Programs – Classroom Practices: Teaching for Justice |
– Youth Profiles: Student Climate Leaders – Community Spotlight: Urban EE Initiatives |
“Teaching Hope in a Time of Crisis” |
| Winter ❄️ | Resilience & Restoration (Climate Literacy, Sustainable Futures) |
– Climate Literacy & Adaptation Strategies – Restoration as Learning |
– Classroom Practices: Systems Thinking – Educator Spotlight: Resilient Teaching |
– Youth Story: “Restoring My Community Park” – Community Spotlight: Rewilding Projects |
“Stories of Hope from the Field” |
Selected articles from past issues
CLEARING is published in support of state/regional E.E. associations
and organizations in the Pacific Northwest and Cascadia bioregion.
Alaska Natural Resources and Outdoor Education
Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network
Environmental Education Provincial Specialist Association (British Columbia)
Idaho Environmental Education Association
