Education News
Local
New York Times – November 29, 2009
New York Times Draws Attention to Forest Kindergarten
By Liz Leyden
Schools around the country have been planting gardens and planning ever more elaborate field trips in hopes of reconnecting children with nature. The forest kindergarten at the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs is one of a handful in the United States that are taking that concept to another level: its 23 pupils spend three hours each day outside regardless of the weather.
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Local
Hurlburt Field – November 19, 2009
Outdoor Classroom Sets New Standard for Military
By Joe McFadden
The outdoor classroom of Florida's Hurlburt Field Youth Center recently became the first certified Nature Explore classroom in the Air Force. The Nature Explore Classroom Certification Program is a national initiative that recognizes schools and other organizations that have made a commitment to providing outdoor classrooms and comprehensive programming to help children use the natural world as an integral part of learning.
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Research & Studies
City of Cambridge – November 24, 2009
Cambridge Task Force Releases Playground Report
The City of Cambridge Healthy Parks and Playgrounds Task Force has released its findings in the form of a 30-page report. The task force was created to explore the role of parks and playgrounds in the health, learning, and overall development of children, and the ways in which they support strong families and communities. It was charged with creating recommendations for new and innovative approaches to the design and operation of future public parks and playgrounds. [+]
State | Campaign/Initiative
EastBayRI.com – November 25, 2009
Rhode Island Audubon Receives Federal Grant for Education
By Michael Yoder
U.S. Senator Jack Reed recently visited the Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s Environmental Education Center in Bristol to award a $143,000 federal grant to the society to provide instructional opportunities for students with limited economic resources. The money will be used in the Audubon’s Environmental Education for Urban Schools Initiative to bring 4,500 students yearly from schools throughout the state.
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National | Campaign/Initiative
National Parks Traveler – October 24, 2009
Rocky Mountain Video Asks, Who Will Care for Parks Tomorrow?
By Kurt Repanshek
A new video produced by the Rocky Mountain Nature Association is part of a $10 million campaign to create a next-generation endowment that will fund in perpetuity education programs in the park. Narrated by Bill Kurtis, the video introduces viewers to the park and raises an important question: Who will care for Rocky Mountain National Park, and the other parks, after the Baby Boomers fade away?
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National | Campaign/Initiative
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – August 27, 2009
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Launches Video Game for Kids
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has launched a new online video game that aims to encourage kids to go outside and learn about the environment. Designed for children ages 8 to 11, Neighborhood Explorers features information on planting gardens, backyard birding, urban wildlife, endangered species, and conservation. It also rewards kids for documenting environmental projects and local wildlife in their area. [+]
Commentary | Health | Media & Culture
CBS News – August 06, 2009
CBS Puts Spotlight on Nature-Deficit Disorder
Watch CBS Videos Online
Jonathan Dorn, editor-in-chief of Backpacker magazine, made a recent appearance on The Early Show to discusses the best places in the country for raising an outdoor kid. In doing so, Dorn provided a succinct definition of nature-deficit disorder and offered advice on how city dwellers can help their children connect with nature.
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National | Health | Resource
Children, Youth and Environments Center for Research and Design – July 28, 2009
Fact Sheet Summarizes Benefits of Gardening for Children
Third- to fifth-grade students who participated in a one-year gardening program showed a significant increase in self-understanding and the ability to work in groups compared to nonparticipating students. That’s one of the many findings summarized in a new fact sheet on the benefits of gardening for children published by the Children, Youth and Environments Center for Research and Design at the University of Colorado at Denver. [+]
National
Targeting “tweens,” the U.S. Forest Service and Ad Council launch national campaign
The campaign primarily aims to reach "tweens" (children ages 8-12) and their parents. The goal is to encourage children to get outside and experience nature first-hand, instilling a life-long love for nature by fostering a connection with urban and national forests. [+]
International
Sunday Times (London) – April 26, 2009
Outdoor Preschools Gain Notice in UK
By Lucy Denyer
The Sunday Times of London recently reported on the Farley Outdoor Learning nursery in Wiltshire, one of a handful of preschools springing up in the UK that emphasize getting children outdoors. The report describes parents who send their children to the school as part of a “global movement of people who are starting to realize that keeping children cooped up indoors all day simply isn’t healthy.”
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Allies | Event
OWLink Media – March 08, 2010
New and Expanded Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature, 2nd Edition
Expanded material provides new methods of mentoring children in nature. The second edition is more comprehensive and features beautiful full color photographs, a comprehensive index, and color codes that link the principles and activities for easier navigation. Hailed by Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, as “good medicine for nature-deficit disorder.” Visit www.naturementoring.com to learn more about the 2nd edition and take advantage of a limited-time offer.
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State | Event
Texas Parks and Wildlife – February 25, 2010
North Texas Parks to Offer Camping Classes
Five state parks in north Texas will host Texas Outdoor Family workshops this spring to familiarize families with the outdoors and teach them how to tent camp, cook outdoors, and get the most out of their outdoor experience. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department program is designed to combat nature-deficit disorder, and it has taught hundreds of families throughout the state since its start in 2008. [+]
State
Jamestown (RI) Press – February 18, 2010
Environmental Charter School to Open in Rhode Island
By Eileen M. Daley
Inspired by Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods, educators in Rhode Island are creating a new charter high school open to students from across the state. The curriculum at the Greene School will focus on environmental research in a real-world setting while still meeting or exceeding all of the state education requirements, as well as standard college admission requirements.
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State
Washington Country (FL) News – February 18, 2010
Florida Wants Network of Youth Conservation Centers
Members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission would like to establish a statewide network of conservation centers that will provide opportunities for young people to participate in outdoor activities and strengthen their connections with and support for fish and wildlife conservation. As one commissioner put it, "We hope to create the next generation of outdoor recreation enthusiasts and conservationists who will continue the work of protecting our wildlife and natural habitats." [+]
Allies | Media & Culture
Parent Dish – December 30, 2009
New American Doll Aims to Get Girls Outdoors
By Honey Berk
American Doll has created a new doll to help encourage girls to spend more time outdoors and connect with nature. The company partnered with the National Wildlife Federation to develop free classroom curriculum materials to support the effort.
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Local | Campaign/Initiative
Buffalo News – October 02, 2009
Learning Gardens Connect Urban Kids with Natural World
By Jane Kwiatkowski
Learning gardens are springing up at schools across the country to promote science, fitness, geography, geology, and literature—along with practice in teamwork and responsibility. Buffalo is one of many cities where educators are providing their students with safe places to experience the outdoors.
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As part of our ongoing efforts to build the movement, the Children & Nature Network has published two new resources for leaders, organizers, and participants at the local, national, and international levels:
