Legislation/Policy

Santa Rosa Press Gazette – January 06, 2009

Commissioner Tells Floridians to “Get Outdoors”

By Rodney Barreto
Rodney Barreto, the longtime chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, is using his position to promote several initiatives aimed at reconnecting people with nature. One such initiative is Get Outdoors Florida, which is creating a broad-based coalition aimed at “engaging communities, families, and individuals in outdoor experiences to achieve healthier lifestyles and sustain Florida’s natural resources.” [+]

• [>] http://www.getoutdoorsflorida.com/

Education

(New Jersey) Daily Record – September 01, 2008

New Jersey Parks Commission Reaches Out to Infants

By Meghan Van Dyk
Proving that it’s never too early to start introducing children to nature, the Morris County Parks Commission hosts weekly Baby and Me hikes through different New Jersey parks. Other popular commission programs include the Nature’s Little Explorers series for children two to three years old and Woodland Adventures for children four to six. [+]

Built Environment | Education

(Greensboro) News & Record – August 23, 2008

North Carolina Zoo to Build Outdoor Classroom

By Jeri Rowe
The North Carolina Zoo will soon begin raising $2.8 million to help create a four-acre classroom for kids, complete with caves, gardens, and a stream. And in another example of North Carolinian efforts to reconnect kids with nature, every family with a child attending Greensboro Montessori School is being given a copy of Last Child in the Woods. [+]

Campaign/Initiative

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources – July 16, 2008

Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Task Force Submits Report

The Pennsylvania task force created last year to find ways for reconnecting people with nature has submitted to the governor a report outlining its recommendations. The report proposes more than 40 action items, the most notable of which is the establishment of a Governor’s Commission on People and Outdoor Connections. [+]

• [>] read the full report

Campaign/Initiative

Marshall News Messenger – July 06, 2008

Texas Parks Host Seminars for Parents

By Steve Bandy
The Texas Forest Service is launching a seminar series for parents that explores the importance of nature in children’s lives. The three-part Nature Realized: Connecting Your Children to the Land will cover topics such as the physical and emotional benefits of nature for children, the differences between free and structured play, and the dangers, real and perceived, of letting children roam outdoors. “If we can reach the influential adults in a child’s life, we can build a conservation ethic in today’s children and sustain their excitement for the outdoors,” says one organizer. [+]

Access | Campaign/Initiative

The Oregonian – June 12, 2008

Oregon Looks for Ways to Interest Youth in Fishing

By Catherine Trevison
The number of Oregon teenagers who fish has dropped by nearly half over the last three decades. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has been working to reverse this trend, and this year it proposed creating a series of special youth-only fisheries. Not all anglers, though, support the effort. [+]

Natural Leader Tamara Poles and Virginia Museum of Natural History are Putting People Back in Touch with Nature

Nearly 13,000 people have taken part in 247 programs of the Community Nature Initiative. [+]

• [>] Read the article

TRACK Trails Offer Nationwide Weapon Against Nature-Deficit Disorder

New interpretive trail system for kids comes to U.S. national parks. [+]

• [>] Read the article

Applications Open for 2012 TogetherGreen Fellowships and Innovation Grants

Audubon & Toyota seek to fund promising conservation leaders and community-based projects. [+]

“No Child Left Ashore” Movement Makes Waves

SF Bay Area's Pegasus Project gets students out on the water, where transformations occur. [+]

• [>] Read the article

Play England Calls for Support to Help Kids Play Outside

Research shows that 21% of children play outdoors daily, compared to 71% during their parents'… [+]

• [>] Read the article

A Healing Place for Children

C&NN Founding Chair Richard Louv consulting on new children's treatment center in MN, which is… [+]

• [>] Read the article

National Kids to Parks Day Set for May 19

Nationwide day of outdoor play organized by National Park Trust. Classroom contest ends March 1. [+]

• [>] Read the article

Chevy Chase, MD, Preschool Encourages Learning Outside the Box

Preschoolers spend at least half a day outside in woods, in all seasons. [+]

• [>] Read the article

Study: Preschoolers Need to Get a Move On

Most pre-school children spend hours doing sedentary activities instead of playing outside, research has shown. [+]

• [>] Read the article
• [>] Read more about the AAP study