The Nurture Nature Center

About Us:

Founded in 2007 after three major floods occurred in 2004-06 in the Delaware River Basin, the Nurture Nature Center (NNC) was established in Easton, PA, by the Nurture Nature Foundation (NNF), based in NYC.  The NNF was founded by the acclaimed labor negotiator, Theodore Kheel, to help municipalities resolve the often conflicting but equally important goals of environmental sustainability and economic growth.

Since 2007, NNC has been working to develop a blend of informal science and public hazards education programs that take into account the needs of diverse constituents citizens, city planners, businesses and industry, utility managers, first responders, municipal officials, and regional legislators.  In 2008, NNC partnered with NOAA, the National Weather Service (NWS), and the Mid-Atlantic River Forecast Center to develop a flood hazards awareness campaign that focused on increasing the use of flood warning and forecast tools by flood-prone communities basin-wide.  The campaign, whose primary message was "Floods happen.  Lessen the Loss," won three awards and produced the website http://focusonfloods.org, an animated film on flood readiness, a four-part radio series, and flood level warning magnets for households that are now being nationally disseminated through NWS offices and NNC.  In addition to its work with NOAA, NNC received a National Science Foundation grant to use community dialogue events to teach about flooding in the Lehigh Valley.  NNC has now expanded its mission and programming through the opening of its science-based education center at 518 Northampton Street in downtown Easton.