America’s Best Cities for Nature-Deficit Disorder. Now what about the rest of us?
Part of the following column is adapted from a previous blog entry. The column was released September 4, 2009 by Citiwire.net. Citiwire.net columns are not copyrighted and may be reproduced in print or electronically; please show authorship, credit Citiwire.net and send an electronic copy of usage to webmaster@citiwire.net.
In August, CBS’ ” The Early Show” recognized the danger of what we’re now informally calling ” nature-deficit disorder.” The show featured the 25 best cities in America for raising kids so they live healthy young lives that are connected to — not cut off — from the natural world. As coiner of the ” nature deficit disorder” phrase (an informal, not medical term), I couldn’t have been more pleased. But more important, the media recognition underscores how critically important it is to help kids connect to nature, designing our communities to make it more possible.
The top three cities were announced by Backpacker magazine editor-in-chief Jonathan Don. Selected by his editors, they were Boulder, Colo., Jackson, Wyo., and Durango, Colo. Boulder was the magazine’s first choice, Dorn said, because it not only offers easy access to wilderness, but also to hundreds of miles of networked bike and running trails. After snowstorms, the city plows its bike paths before plowing the roads. It should be noted that most of the top cities on this list are destination locations—small, scenic, and relatively wealthy.
What about the rest of us, who aren’t able or willing to relocate?
Through urban design and family decisions, it’s time to make sure every child in America has access to ” nearby nature” — by that I mean urban or state parks, regional nature preserves, clean urban streams, or the little woods just beyond the cul de sac.
One way to achieve that objective is to recognize the value of nearby nature. As Outside magazine puts it, ” near is the new far.”
In March Illinois’ new governor, Pat Quinn—referencing nature-deficit disorder and the importance of nearby nature to families during a recession—reopened seven state parks closed by his predecessor. He cited the economic importance of urban parks.
It’s also time to start creating more nature, nearby.
Dream on, some pessimists will say. According to their vision of the future, rising energy prices will stimulate green flight, to more energy-efficient, self-contained exurbs. Paradoxically, green flight could drive us deeper into our electronic cocoons—or, at best, our back yards.
Last year, during the height of the oil crisis, Newsweek projected that ” life at $200 a barrel” could radically reduce our activities in natural surroundings. Michael Lynch, of Strategic Energy & Economic Research, estimated the effects of rising fuel costs on our lifestyles would produce a 53 percent increase in gasoline prices, boost sales of yard toys by 18 percent and backyard pool supplies by 15 percent. A spike in gas prices, he added, could also enhance another close-to-home form of entertainment—leading to a rise of 1.2 percent in pregnancies. Newsweek opined: ” If he’s right, stock up on videogames.”
That’s it? That’s the best we can do? The missing motivation here is health, which, over the long haul, will trump the pump.
Growth of the original suburbs offered the illusion of healthy country living; it was stimulated by green flight as well as white flight. Even before that, late 19th and early 20th century planners believed that cities could and should be places rich with nature. That philosophy inspired the urban parks movement. The industrialists who pushed for the creation of New York’s Central Park weren’t concerned with gas prices. Their priority was worker productivity, linked to the health benefits of nearby nature.
Unfortunately, planners and consumers lost touch with that philosophy. Now we have denatured urban and suburban neighborhoods.
In Last Child in the Woods, I described the growing body of scientific evidence indicating that the rise in attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder and an assortment of other childhood maladies might have something to do with children’s nature deficiency.
Recent studies have also suggested a connection between the decline in outdoor activities and the dramatic rise in childhood Vitamin D deficiency and myopia. In October 2008, Science Daily reported ” the first study to look at the effect of neighborhood greenness on inner city children’s weight over time.” Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and the University of Washington reported an association between higher neighborhood greenness and slower increases in children’s body mass over a two-year period, regardless of residential density. In other words, urban design can provide a greener, healthier environment, even in the densest of neighborhoods.
So it’s time to create nature and health where we and our families live, work and play. We can do it by expanding urban parks, by creating new woodlands and other natural spaces out of land reclaimed from industrial pollution and decaying shopping centers. New and redeveloped neighborhoods should incorporate natural play spaces, green roofs, community gardens, vertical farms, food-producing office buildings, and recycled rainwater streams. When it comes to the health-giving properties of the natural world, near is the new far.
Note: Parents who wish to find nearby nature can go to NatureRocks.org for an online ZIP code-oriented directory to nature near to home, and a planning guide to create family nature ” staycations.”
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Richard Louv is chairman of the Children and Nature Network. He is the author of “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder”, and a member of the Citistates Group.
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Rich,
Since publishing Last Child in the Woods, the growth of the Children and Nature Network has been astonishing in every corner of this country and beyond. The issue compels action to help our children, and we are seeing incredible amounts of it by individuals, families, communities and institutions. As you point out, redesigning communities to restore access to nature is essential, but the first step is to change the mindset. Parents, grandparents, caregivers, teachers, young adults, and all those with a stake in the outdoors must join with children to get outside for just a few hours a week. This includes rural communities as well as urban and suburban. I was at a bookstore today in the rural community where I live. I watched a mother and father buy their son $83 worth of movies and video games. You have inspired hundreds of families in communities across the country to join together to form neighborhood nature clubs. One will be coming to my community soon for that young child.
This is a great post. I’m surprised that my city didn’t make the list, frankly. We’ve got a phenomenal urban parks system and some really committed planners within the city who are dedicated to helping create connections between kids and nature. It’s inspiring to live in such a place.
I am so appreciative of your work, Richard, and most surely of your books. THANK YOU.
Your thoughtful consideration of this far reaching issue that you so brilliantly term Nature Deficit Disorder strikes a deep cord. Your encouraging words have greatly inspired my dedication for getting my young artists (at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia) out the door to explore, investigate nature and open their ‘artist eyes’ to the wonder that surrounds us all.
For the past three or four years I have hosted a summer program at CACV called
‘Art in the Park’. It is a magnificent opportunity for kids to spend quiet focused time in our beautiful 2300 acre First Landing State Park sitting and observing and drawing while also hiking and wading and discovering the natural world.
My website’s Teaching pages show some samples of their results with many many more grand expressions to follow.
Thank thank thank you for your heartfelt work.
d
Fascinating and very much welcome.
I spend my summers in Ridgway Colorado. We are two hours north of Durango and 40 minutes from Telluride in one of the most beautiful and healthy, I hope, parts of the country. The stress levels of everyone who comes here drop quickly and after a few weeks what is really important in life seems to take a lovely turn to what is healthy and good.
Thank you for your work.
ann
Dear Richard,
I am a young Italian psychologists. My friends and I we are implementing a project called “The tratturi donkey” ( “The donkey tratturi” English).
Our idea is to create nature trails accompanied by donkeys of Martina Franca, with the objective of recovering the relationship with our environment and its inhabitants.
I was very impressed with your study and want to know if we could establish a contact in Italy to achieve a deepening of your searches.
thank
Rosaria Adone
Dear Richard,
I wanted to first mention that I started reading your book, “Last Child in the Woods” for my English class, and am writing a research paper for my class on one of the most important, yet often ignored issue, strongly argued for in your book – natural play for children, and the role of community to help guarantee that right to children.
For my paper, I looked up websites, books etc, and found that most of the times childhood health problems such as obesity, ADD, depression etc. are usually tied to bad nutrition and lack of physical activity, and the focus is on how to implement better eating habits and improve physical activity among children (which are no doubt important for overall health). What was not addressed was the emotional or ‘happiness quotient’ of the problem. As stated by you, “Our culture places so little value on natural play.” (Louv, 117) Children are happy when they indulge in natural play, where they have fun and can frolic in freedom (even if it is in their own backyard). Maybe this is because happiness and freedom of mind cannot be measured, unlike physical attributes such as weight or poorly done tests (low scores). I cannot agree more that the primary motivation to preserve nature among our midst should be our health (and our children’s health), and it should be physical, psychological and emotional health that should be acocunted for.
I mentioned in one of my class posts that the importance of your book and your work struck me while I was researching, only because of the emphasis you place on ‘natural play’. I can only hope more people like me are inspired, and help make a difference in their communities.
I would LOVE to talk with you about your thoughts and ideas and research on this subject.
I have been working for over a year on a project that would bring nature back to our community here in Spring Hill, TN. We are unable to move to Boulder or Boone or other nature friendly areas due to my husband’s career. So, instead of sitting back wishing for something different, I have been actively trying to make a change.
I refuse to let my children be raised in front of the TV or video games. Child obesity and other health problems are ramped around here. It’s sad and maddening. I long for them to be able to experience nature and walk through the trees, getting exercise in a fun and amazing way. We have a section of land I am trying to preserve for a passive park – around 150 acres. It is in the middle of two cities and would be an ideal location. I fear that it will be sold and turned into developments.
If you have a chance sometime, I would appreciate hearing your story and getting advice from you. I have not read your entire website yet, however plan to do so this afternoon.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.
This is a fantastic blog!
While reading this particular blog I came across a statement that stood out. “So it’s time to create nature and health where we and our families live, work and playâ€. I do agree with the blog that there are a few cities in America for Nature Deficit Disorder. My sister lives in Portland Oregon and although this wasn’t one of the cities published in the study, there is an abundance of nature at hands reach. Her boys simply walk out in the backyard and it leads down to a meadow with a creek. They spend most of their afternoons playing and exploring. My family lives in a small new town and our surroundings are a lot different. I have to say that they have built this community so that the residents can have many opportunities for nature exposure. We have many trails throughout, a natural creek with wildlife animals, and several different parks and sports complexes. The kids love to explore here but I still don’t see as many children out as when I was young. Since the world is changing and everyday we have less open space in nature, we have to make the most of the space we are given. Even though we have many homes in the area, it was great that they kept nature in mind when planning our community. Each year I see new space that are directed toward keeping our community outdoors and educated in our surroundings. I feel very fortunate to share these areas with my children and it’s nice that it’s so close by.
Thanks for all the great information and knowledge you share.