The annual Environmental Policy Summit is heading back to Hendrix College this month, while the Arkansas Environmental Education Association (AEEA) will bring back the Environmental and Outdoor Education Conference in Fairfield Bay in March.

The Environmental Policy Summit, which is in its 10th year, will be hosted at the Worsham Hall in the Student Life and Technology Center at Hendrix College on Friday, Feb. 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Some of the environmental groups sponsoring the summit include Arkansas Climate League, Citizens’ Climate Lobby — Arkansas Chapters, Arkansas Public Policy Panel, Arkansas Natural Sky Association, Sierra Club, Audubon Delta, The Ozark Society, Southern Renewable Energy Association and Zero Hour.

Noted Arkansas environmentalist and occasional Arkansas Times contributor Glen Hooks, the policy manager at Audubon Delta, said he expects a diverse range of attendees including activists, legislators, regulators, students and experts. While much of the conference will focus on energy policy, with breakout sessions on electricity transmission and the status of wind energy policy, Hooks said he is especially excited for the keynote presentation, which will feature research from Hendrix professors Carmen Merrick and Jennifer Penner.

“One especially cool offering at this year’s summit is a keynote presentation by two Hendrix professors, Dr. Carmen Merrick and Dr. Jennifer Penner, about the link between time spent in nature and one’s overall psychological health,” Hooks said. “I’m especially looking forward to hearing about their research and findings.”

Two weeks later, on March 6,  the Environmental and Outdoor Education Conference will be held in Fairfield Bay. The theme of this year’s conference, according to AEEA executive director Sophia Stephenson, is “Legacy of the Land: 30 Years of Learning, Leading, and Preserving Arkansas.” AEEA is celebrating its 30year anniversary in 2026.

Stephenson said the conference is geared toward classroom teachers, non-formal educators, organization leaders, professors, natural resources professionals and other professionals. Some of the sessions will include topics like the Arkansas Outdoor Education Initiative, building partnerships and incorporating environmental education in curriculum. Classroom teachers can earn Arkansas Department of Education-approved professional development credit hours as well.

A ticket to the one-day Arkansas Environmental Policy Summit costs $20, with a student rate of just $10. You can register to attend the conference at this link. Tickets for the Environmental and Outdoor Education Conference cost $205 to attend the whole weekend event,  though lower rates are available for attending only Friday or Saturday, and an early bird registration discount is also available until midnight, Feb. 6. A full conference schedule can be found here.