AEEA Conference
March 6 & 7, 2026
Fairfield Bay Conference Center
Fairfield Bay, AR
About the Conference
Legacy of the Land: 30 Years of Learning, Leading, and Preserving Arkansas
The conference brings together passionate educators and leaders from across The Natural State for an inspiring and educational professional convening. This event has been designed to create a venue for nonformal educators, classroom teachers, organization leaders, professors, facilitators, natural resource professionals, and other leaders in the field of environmental and outdoor education to gather, connect, and engage in valuable discussions and learning. Through an array of sessions and networking opportunities, attendees gain the tools, insights, and inspiration needed to build the capacity of their programs and create a ripple effect that advances environmental education statewide.
In addition to hands-on learning, exhibitors feature available resources and programs, and the silent auction showcases Arkansas-made goods, education resources, and sustainability-focused products. The silent auction funds the AEEA mini-grant program. The conference brings together diverse attendees in some of the most beautiful locations that Arkansas has to offer.
Join us this spring as we celebrate AEEA’s 30th anniversary!
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ~ FELLOWSHIP ~ FUN
Venue & Lodging
Conference Venue:
Fairfield Bay Conference Center
110 Lost Creek Pkwy, Fairfield Bay, AR 72088
Conference activities will occur in the Fairfield Bay Conference Center.
Lodging:
It is the responsibility of conference attendees to reserve their own lodging. Cobblestone Inn & Suites is next door to the conference center. They are holding a block of rooms for AEEA conference attendees. Book today, the rooms will be released to the public on February 5. See below for booking details.
Friday Afternoon Sessions
Friday afternoon sessions are three hours, providing more time to explore the content. Due to the interactive nature of these sessions, some of them have limited space. Secure your place by registering early. Indicate on the registration form your top three choices in order.
Conference Registration Rates
AEEA is committed to ensuring environmental and outdoor education is accessible to all. We aim to reduce financial obstacles by offering multiple registration options for individuals and organizations whose circumstances make the full conference fee challenging.
The full cost to host the conference is $205/person. Our sliding-scale registration fee is an intentional effort to keep the conference as accessible as possible. Pay what you can but most importantly, be there!
- Early Bird Rates end February 6, 2026
- Registration closes February 20, 2026
If you/your organization is able to pay, please choose the ‘Standard or Member Rate’ options.If you can, please consider making a tax-deductible donation so we can keep our events accessible to all.
| Standard Rate | Member Rate | Affordability Rate | |
| Friday Only |
$120 Early Bird – $105 |
$100 Early Bird $85 |
$80
|
| Saturday Only |
$95 Early Bird – $80 |
$75 Early Bird – $60 |
$55 |
| Full Conference |
$205 Early Bird -$185 |
$165 Early Bird – $140 |
$125 |
Conference Schedule & Presenters
Session details are below. Hover over a session title with your mouse to see a full description. Alternatively, you can select Expanded in the View dropdown menu to see a full description and presenters. Use the menu bar above the schedule to learn more about the presenters, sponsors, and venue.
Additional Conference Information
Learn a little more about the conference in the sections below.
Exhibiting
Organizations are invited to showcase their programs with an exhibit space. We have time in the conference schedule dedicated to interacting with exhibitors. This is a great way to highlight your success, meet potential partners, and share the resources your organization has available. A small additional fee is applied for exhibitors. Also, some levels of sponsorship include complimentary exhibit space.
To sign up as an exhibitor
- Fill in this short Exhibitor Signup Form
- Register for the conference and indicate the exhibitor rate that applies to you.
AEEA member exhibitor fee: $40
General exhibitor fee: $70
Lodging
Cobblestone Inn & Suites in Fairfield Bay is holding a block of rooms for AEEA conference attendees for Thursday, March 5 – Saturday, March 7, 2026. The rate is $120/night. Conference attendees are responsible for booking their own rooms. The block of rooms is beling held until February 5 – book today!
1. Call Cobblesone Inn & Suites at (501) 825-3046.
2. Alert the front desk agent that your reservation is part of the Arkansas Environmental Education Association block of rooms.
Issues with booking a room should be directed to Emily Dunn, General Manager, at (501) 825-3046. See details here ffbconference.com/lodging/.
Meals
For each day of the conference, lunch and snacks will be provided.
– Friday evening social is open to all who register, but please let us know if you plan on attending so we can accurately plan for food. The evening social will include a drink and appetizers. If you desire a full dinner, there are restaurants nearby.
– Breakfast both days is on your own. Cobblestone Inn & Suites provides breakfast to those lodging there.
Conference Attire
Curious what to wear to an environmental and outdoor education conference? This is a professional, yet casual event. Wear what is appropriate for your organization in the early spring. The main thing is to be comfortable. We will have little, if any, control over the indoor temperature and no control over the outdoor temperature. We hope to have some sessions outdoors, so wear weather appropriate clothing, and if you plan on participating in a field tour, wear close-toed shoes and bring a hat.
Sched - app for program schedule, details, and communication
Sched is an event management app for mobile devices and computers. Attendees can see session descriptions, presenter bios, and event sponors. They can also plan out their own schedule in advance of the event and easily share contact information with other participants.
Once you have registered for the conference, you will receive a link for the AEEA conference. This app is free to use. It facilitates communication between our planning team and attendees and as well as between attendees.
New to Sched? Check out the Sched Quick Reference Guide
Share Table
We all end up with extra resources, posters, books, and materials we no longer need, but they are still in good condition. We have an answer – bring these items to the conference and add them to the Share Table! This could be office supplies, reference books, posters, etc. Organizational branded materials go on your exhibit table (if you have one). This is for other materials and resources you no longer want. This is an opportunity to reduce and reuse – take what you need and use what you take.
Registration Cancellation
All participant cancellations require notice submitted in writing at least one day prior to the event. Submit notice via email to director@arkansasee.org. Registration funds will be refunded according to the following schedule. Cancellations due to emergencies will be evaluated case by case.
- Refund of 75% of registration fee if notice is given by February 19.
- After February 19 registration can be transferred to another person. Please give as much notice as possible.
- No refunds are given for no-shows.
Refunds will be processed after the conference.
Sponsorship Information
We strive to create a conference that is beneficial professionally, inspiring personally, and affordable to all interested. This is possible through the support of our sponsors.