Outdoors Proclamation Awaits President’s OK
The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies – February 06, 2007
Washington, D.C. (February 5, 2007) - President George W. Bush was asked last week to issue a proclamation designating June 2007 “Great Outdoors Month” for the fourth time. Making the request were the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, American Recreation Coalition, The Conservation Fund, the National Wildlife Federation, and the National Recreation and Park Association, representing more than 60 supporting organizations, and Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods.
A June proclamation is suggested because it is the first month of active summer recreation activities, as well as a month with high visitation to America’s public lands. Dozens of events held nationally during this month will highlight the link between participation in outdoor recreation and improved health, especially decreased obesity.
In keeping with the President’s recently announced campaign against childhood obesity, Great Outdoors Month, and Great Outdoors Week (June 12-16), will focus a national spotlight on the potential of outdoor recreation on public land for improving the physical, mental and spiritual health of all Americans by showcasing existing public and private efforts already underway.
The organizations also have asked the fifty state governors to designate June 2007 as Great Outdoors Month in each state and to demonstrate their personal interest in health outdoor activities during the month.
Each governor was also asked to conduct a Governor’s Summit on Children and the Outdoors, to highlight the importance of children’s early involvement in nature for establishing the life-long physical, mental and community benefits that can result.
First proclaimed by President George W. Bush in 2004, Great Outdoors Month includes a long list of recreation community events and meetings, such as National Trails Day and National Fishing and Boating Week.
C&NN has designated April "Children & Nature Awareness Month." As part of this effort, we invited network members (like you) to list their April programs and share their strategies for building public awareness. Find out what's happening in your community on the C&NN Movement Map.
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:
An annotated bibliography of 20 premier studies focusing on the children and nature connection.
