Access | Campaign/Initiative

Florida Department of Environmental Protection – June 25, 2008

Florida Pushes Nature Connection with Free Parks

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has launched a new campaign to reconnect children and families with nature. To promote the effort, the DEP is waiving admission to all 161 Florida state parks on Sunday, July 13. In the words of Florida State Parks Director Mike Bullock, “Establishing a healthy relationship with nature during childhood is a valuable habit that will benefit individuals and society as a whole for years.” [+]

Event

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Texas State Parks Host Outdoor Family Workshops

Recognizing that many Texans today lack the camping skills and experience of previous generations, the state’s parks and wildlife department is offering a new series of weekend workshops for families. The workshops, sponsored in part by Toyota, offer a supportive environment where families can learn how to pitch tents, cook outdoors, fish, kayak, and even geocache. [+]

Campaign/Initiative

(Huntington) Herald-Dispatch – June 01, 2008

Another Statewide Effort to Reconnect Kids with Nature

Ohio joins the ranks of states trying to reconnect children with nature. As part of its summer Explore the Outdoors challenge, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources recently distributed nearly 800,000 activity guides to public school students. The activities described in the guides include fishing and hiking, and students who complete eight or more of these activities before September 1 are eligible for prizes. [+]

Education

Sacramento Bee – May 28, 2008

Virtual Field Trips Take Hold in California

By Laurel Rosenhall
In California schools, the traditional field trip to a state park or other destination so that children can learn firsthand about the natural world is being replaced by the virtual field trip, which uses videoconferencing to beam nature lessons into the classroom. These virtual experiences, supporters say, are better than the alternative: no field trips at all. [+]

Campaign/Initiative

North Carolina Governor proclaims April Children and Nature Awareness Month.

The North Carolina Zoo and the North Carolina Zoological Society and members of the NC children and nature coalition announced that Governor Mike Easely has proclaimed April Children and Nature Awareness Month.
[+] [PDF]

Campaign/Initiative

News 14 Carolina – March 06, 2008

North Carolina Zoo Conference Urges Kids to Get Outside

By Ed Scannell
In March 2008, North Carolina Zoo was the site of a conference aimed at promoting outdoor play and reconnecting the state's children with nature. Organizers brought together teachers, health professionals and people from private industry and government; people they believe can help reverse the trend in North Carolina. "The results from this will be children who are healthier, children who can learn better and children who have a much [greater] sense of belonging in the world," said Kathy Bull of the N.C. Zoological Society. [+]

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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. [+]

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TRACK Trails Offer Nationwide Weapon Against Nature-Deficit Disorder

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

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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. [+]

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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'… [+]

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A Healing Place for Children

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

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National Kids to Parks Day Set for May 19

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

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Chevy Chase, MD, Preschool Encourages Learning Outside the Box

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

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Study: Preschoolers Need to Get a Move On

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

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• [>] Read more about the AAP study