2025 Conference FAQ

When will registration open?

Registration is open!

What is the cost of the conference?

General three-day registration is $595.

While we understand that attending the conference is a large financial investment, the actual cost of hosting the conference is approximately $750 per attendee. Thanks to our generous conference partners and sponsors, we are able to reduce the cost to attendees.

We also offer an Equitable Access registration ($295 for a 3-day registration), which is available throughout the registration period, and is intended for young leaders, seniors and others for whom cost would be a barrier to attendance.

Children & Nature Network paid members receive an additional $100 discount on full-priced three-day registration.

Early Bird registration closed on February 1, 2025. Get your registration early next year to save — this year’s Early Birds saved $100 on three-day registration, with an additional $50 discount for paid members!

Is there a group discount for registration?

Discounted tickets of $495 are available throughout the registration period for groups of five or more attendees.

What is the cancellation and refund policy?

You may request a full refund of registration fees up to 48 hours after your purchase.

We realize plans can change. Should you wish to cancel your registration after the 48-hour grace period, please send an email to conference@childrenandnature.org. Your registration fee will be refunded, less a $75 administrative fee. Regretfully, no refunds can be issued after April 11, 2025.

Are scholarships available?

The Children & Nature Network recognizes that registration and travel costs can be a barrier to attendance. We provide limited registration and travel awards, giving priority to BIPOC and young leaders under 30. Please note that the application process for these awards closed on January 3.

If cost is a barrier to attendance, we encourage you to take advantage of the reduced-price Equitable Access registration.

Can I volunteer?

Volunteers play a vital role in the success of the conference. Volunteers receive discounted registration and are able to attend all of the general and breakout sessions. If you are interested in volunteering, please email us at conference@childrenandnature.org.

Where is the conference?

The 2025 Nature Everywhere Conference will be held May 13-16 in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Conference events will be held at the RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minnesota.

What is the weather like in the Twin Cities?

Temperatures in the Twin Cities in May can vary, but typically range from 50°F to 74°F. Plan to check the weather before you depart so that you pack the appropriate items.

Why is the conference being held in the Twin Cities?

We are pleased to host the 2025 Nature Everywhere Conference in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Both cities have participated in our Cities Connecting Children to Nature initiative and have a solid cross-sector track record of championing green spaces and outdoor experiences for children and youth.The cities’ parks systems have consistently ranked as some of the best in the U.S., often competing for the top spot! Our main conference venue is located in St. Paul, just steps away from both the Mississippi River and the Minnesota State Capitol. Read more about St. Paul’s nature connection efforts here and check out the Minneapolis Parks & Recreational Board’s equity-based criteria for prioritizing capital investment and large park rehabilitation projects. Additionally, Minnesota is recognized nationally for its significant investments in early childhood and for launching one of the nation’s first Teacher Field Schools to scale up nature-based learning across the state.

Land Acknowledgement

Every community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams and energy to making the history that led to this moment.

Some were brought here against their will, some were drawn to leave their distant homes in hope of a better life. And some have lived on this land since time immemorial.

Truth and acknowledgment are critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage and difference.

We respectfully acknowledge the sacred land upon which the events and activities of The 2025 Children & Nature Network Conference will take place, in Saint Paul and Minneapolis. This is the traditional homeland and waters of the Dakhóta Oyáte (Dakota People), who stewarded it for millenia, and which was unfairly ceded in the Treaties of 1837 and 1851. The Dakota People are part of the Seven Council Fires, historically called the Sioux, or the Great Sioux Nation. We also want to acknowledge the Ho-Chunk and other nations of people who also called this place home. Minnesota comes from the Dakota name for the area, Mni Sota Makoce—”the land where the waters reflect the skies.”

We invite you to learn more about the true history of this land and water and to search out the wisdom and stories of the Dakota, Ojibwe and other Native people still here.

We pay respect to their elders past and present. We consider the treaties made, under duress, by the Tribal Nations that entitle non-Native people to live and work on Native lands. And we acknowledge the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, settlement and resettlement that allowed Minnesota’s capital city of Saint Paul to exist as it does today–at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers, known to many Dakota people as Bdote. It is a place where rivers and people have come together for at least ten thousand years at important and sacred sites such as Taku Wakáŋ Tipi, which, according to oral tradition, is one of the places from which Dakota people originate. 

This Indigenous peoples acknowledgement, written with the advice and endorsement of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and members of our Twin Cities Advisory board, uses language borrowed from the US Department of Arts and Culture’s “Honor Native Land Guide.”

Are there discounted hotels?

The discounted hotel block at the InterContinental Hotel in Saint Paul, Minnesota has closed. Contact the hotel directly for cost and availability.

Other options: The Holiday Inn (175 7th St W, St. Paul, MN) and Hampton Inn (200 7th St W, St Paul, MN) are both across the street from the conference venue, the RiverCentre.

What is the program schedule for the conference?

The conference starts on Tuesday, May 13 with a late afternoon reception and ends Friday, May 16 at noon. A preliminary schedule is here. The full schedule and program details will be posted in early 2025. You will be able to select the sessions you wish to attend starting in March 2025.

Can I bring my family?

Conference workshops and sessions are geared toward adult attendees and no onsite childcare is provided. We will provide an onsite private, secure space for infant care needs.

For the purpose of seeking private childcare or if you are bringing your own childcare, the general conference schedule is as follows:
• Tuesday, May 13: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. (reception only; no speakers or breakout sessions)
• Wednesday, May 14: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a 90-minute lunch break
• Thursday, May 15: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a 90-minute lunch break
• Friday, May 16: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Is there a charge for children attending the conference?

While conference workshops and sessions are geared toward adult attendees, you know your child(ren) best! If they are interested and able to participate in sessions with you, we ask that you register them using an Equitable Access ticket. Questions? Contact us at conference@childrenandnature.org.

What meals are included?

Tuesday evening reception: Appetizers, beverages and cash bar
Wednesday and Thursday: Coffee/tea service before the General Session; box lunch; afternoon snack break
Friday: Coffee/tea service before the General Session; snack break after the General Session

Can my allergies and/or dietary restrictions be accommodated?

Please indicate dietary restrictions and/or allergies when registering. Every effort will be made to honor these requests.

Getting to the Twin Cities

Check out the Visit St. Paul website and/or the Meet Minneapolis website for everything you need to know about getting to and around the Twin Cities.

Parking at the RiverCentre (conference) and the InterContinental Hotel (lodging)

InterContinental hotel parking information is here. St. Paul RiverCentre parking information is here.

How can I find out who else is coming to the conference?

You’ll have plenty of networking opportunities through Whova, the conference app. After you have registered for the conference and beginning in early March, you’ll be able to fill out your profile to begin connecting with attendees from across the children and nature movement.

Does the conference have a hashtag?

Yes! Please share about the conference using this hashtag: #NatureEverywhere

You can also follow along and tag your posts with our social accounts on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Can I chat with other attendees and set up meetings during the conference with Whova?

Yes! In early March you will be able to use message boards and schedule meet-ups to connect with other conference participants who share your areas of interest.

Will there be Wi-Fi and cell service?

Yes! The RiverCentre has free Wi-Fi access and cell service is available.

Will the conference be livestreamed?

The conference will not be livestreamed. If you are unable to join us in person, recordings of the General Sessions will be made available in the months following the conference.

Breakout sessions at the conference

The application to present at the Nature Everywhere Conference closed on Friday, October 25, 2024 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time.

As part of the selection process, we give intentional preference to presenters who are part of groups or communities that have been historically excluded or underrepresented in the fields of nature connection, nature-based learning, and nature access. The selection process is composed of Children & Nature Network staff and outside partners.

When the conference schedule is published, you can learn more about the speakers presenting this year’s Breakout Sessions on the Speakers page. 

Poster Session

The Poster Session application has closed. When the conference schedule is published, you can learn more about the poster presentations on the Speakers page. 

Will the Richard Louv Prize be awarded at the conference as in past years?

The 2025 Richard Louv Prize for Innovation in Nature Connection will be awarded at the Nature Everywhere Conference in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Nominations will open March 2024. Learn more about the prize here.