NEWSLINKS
News Links, Articles & CommentaryCampaign/Initiative News
State | Education
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 | Education
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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State
Seacoast Online – October 04, 2009
New Hampshire Get Out and Play Weekend a Model for Others
By Beth LaMontagne Hall
Communities looking for ways to reconnect children with nature would be well-advised to follow New Hampshire's lead. The state's Get Out and Play weekend, sponsored by the New Hampshire Children in Nature Coalition, featured a variety of events in many locations intended to introduce children to the joys of playing outdoors.
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National | Access
The White House – September 25, 2009
Obama Declares September 26 National Public Lands Day
President Obama has signed a proclamation declaring September 26, 2009, National Public Lands Day. In the words of the proclamation, this is "an opportunity for all Americans, young and old, to celebrate the majesty of our open spaces and devote our collective efforts to conserving our Nation's unique landscapes." And, "Today, we affirm our resolve to conserve these cherished spaces for our enjoyment and for that of future generations." [+]
National
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences – September 10, 2009
Take a Child Outside Week Starts September 24
Take a Child Outside Week, a program designed to help break down obstacles that keep children from discovering the natural world, takes place this year starting September 24. The program is an initiative of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and is held in cooperation with partner organizations across the U.S. and Canada. [+]
Allies | Media & Culture
MarketWatch – September 22, 2009
The North Face Launches Website to Connect People with the Outdoors
Outdoor retailer The North Face has announced the Bay Area launch of PlanetExplore, a new online community that aims to connect people to the outdoors by serving as a hub for outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, climbing, and running in their area. As part of PlanetExplore, The North Face has partnered with the Children & Nature Network, Outward Bound, the Sierra Club, and other organizations that promote outdoor participation. Later in 2009, PlanetExplore will launch in Denver and New York City.
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National | Education
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. [+]
Local
Capital Times (Madison) – July 01, 2009
Getting Kids Back to Nature in Madison
By Mary Ellen Gabriel
Like an increasing number of cities across the country, Madison, Wisconsin, is home to a variety of local initiatives aiming to reconnect children and nature. One of the biggest challenges, according to Sam Dennis of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is not so much finding open spaces but identifying areas where kids can climb trees, build forts, and so on. Another challenge? Convincing parents that this kind of play is important.
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International | Media & Culture
Persil – July 18, 2008
Persil Promotes Free Play in UK Campaign
Persil, a well-known maker of laundry detergents in the UK, is touting the benefits of unstructured outdoor play in a new national campaign aimed at parents. The company surveyed mothers, a majority of whom agreed that society had lost sight of the importance of play in a child’s learning process. The “every child has the right” campaign includes a television commercial in which a robot becomes a boy when it ventures outdoors and a website with tips to help families make free play a priority once again.
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SECTIONS | Regional Updates | Local | CATEGORY 1 | Access | CATEGORY 2
The Holland Sentinel – January 15, 2012
No Child Left Inside at Michigan’s Outdoor Discovery Center
By Holland Sentinel Staff
Kellogg Foundation grant helps students, teachers and families reconnect to nature.
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SECTIONS | Regional Updates | Local | CATEGORY 2
Advertiser-Tribune – January 14, 2012
LNCI Northwest OH Helps Kids Combat Nature-Deficit Disorder
By Vicki Johnson
Leave No Child Inside NW Ohio gets children, adults into nature.
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CATEGORY 2
New Hampshire Union Leader – November 28, 2011
Plaistow Girl, 10, Invents Fun, Prize-Winning Game
By Paul Feely
Sponge Ball Fill Up game wins CLIF Kid Backyard Game of the Year contest.
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CATEGORY 2
Lemos & Crane – October 07, 2011
Apply by Nov. 18 for Lemos & Crane Acorn Award
By Lemos & Crane
Award inspired by The Nature Principle, to honor those who use nature in their work with vulnerable populations.
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SECTIONS | Regional Updates | National | CATEGORY 2
C&NN – September 28, 2011
Natural Service Comes in All Shapes and Sizes
By C&NN
Read stories from the many groups and individuals who took part in natural service over the last year.
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SECTIONS | Regional Updates | National | CATEGORY 2
Sierra Club BBTO – September 27, 2011
Sierra Club and C&NN: A Joint Commitment to Service
By Sierra Club Youth Blog
Sierra Club’s Serve Outdoors and C&NN’s Serve Outside September (S.O.S.) initiatives helped people engage in outdoor service.
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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. [+]
TRACK Trails Offer Nationwide Weapon Against Nature-Deficit Disorder
New interpretive trail system for kids comes to U.S. national parks. [+]
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. [+]
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'… [+]
A Healing Place for Children
C&NN Founding Chair Richard Louv consulting on new children's treatment center in MN, which is… [+]
National Kids to Parks Day Set for May 19
Nationwide day of outdoor play organized by National Park Trust. Classroom contest ends March 1. [+]
Chevy Chase, MD, Preschool Encourages Learning Outside the Box
Preschoolers spend at least half a day outside in woods, in all seasons. [+]
Study: Preschoolers Need to Get a Move On
Most pre-school children spend hours doing sedentary activities instead of playing outside, research has shown. [+]
Help Connect Children & Nature.
C&NN Web BadgesC&NN Synthesis of Research and Studies
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Nature Clubs for Families Tool Kit
Download the Tool Kit [>]
The Tool Kit includes a Quick Start Guide with simple instructions on how to start a local Nature Club for Families.
Newsletter Archive
JAN 31 – News and Updates
JAN 12 – News and Updates
DEC 22 – News and Updates
DEC 6 – Ecology of Hope
NOV 22 – Natural Families News
NOV 10 – News and Updates
NOV 1 – 2011 Report Outs
OCT 6 – Natural Teachers News
SEPT 8 – APOCALYPSE NO
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C&NN Publications
As part of our ongoing efforts to build the movement, the Children & Nature Network has published these resources for leaders, organizers, and participants at the local, national, and international levels:
2010 C&NN Report
[>] Download PDF [2MB]
Children and Nature 2009: A Report on the Movement to Reconnect Children to the Natural World
[>] Download PDF [1.1MB]
C&NN Community Action Guide: Building the Children & Nature Movement from the Ground Up
[>] Download PDF [1.4MB]
