Media & Culture News
National
National Wildlife Federation
Great American Backyard Campout Set for June 28
With high gas prices keeping families closer to home this summer, it seems likely that fewer children will be chasing fireflies and sleeping under the stars. That fact alone gives the National Wildlife Federation’s fourth annual Great American Backyard Campout added relevance. 
The event, in which more than 40,000 people participated last year, is scheduled for June 28.
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Allies | Leadership
BassPro Video Game Trade-in; 15% off to Get Kids Out
By BassPro
BassPro announces one of the most innovative strategies we've seen to date for getting kids outdoors. This week, all around the country, kids and adults will be turning in their video games for a 15% discount off fishing gear, water sports items, tents, sleeping bags and footwear.
"One of the most exciting and invigorating places to go this summer is just beyond your front door," said Larry Whiteley, Bass Pro Shops Manager of Communications. "Bass Pro Shops is committed to helping adults and children across the nation put away their laptops, video games, PDAs and cell phones this summer and head outdoors.
Commentary
The Christian Science Monitor – May 22, 2008
Free-range kids
By Gloria Goodale
Journalist Lenore Skenazy has sparked a dialogue that's touched a nerve in the national psyche. Are American parents raising children who are never allowed to take risks, or are they simply protecting them? For a complicated mix of reasons there is an urgent and growing desire among families to reassess their lifestyles and consider a more balanced form of parenting, one that allows for more independence and risk-taking.
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Commentary | Leadership
(Tacoma) News Tribune – March 13, 2008
Novel Ideas for Funding Nature Education
By Jeffrey P. Mayor
A conversation with Richard Louv prompted a Washington State journalist to consider new ways to fund nature education. One of methods proposed by columnist Jeffery P. Mayor is earmarking a portion of the fees generated by specialty license plates for a Washington Nature Education Fund. Another proposal would provide REI members with a simple way to donate all or some of their annual dividend checks to the education fund.
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National | Campaign/Initiative
National Wildlife Federation – March 14, 2008
National Wildlife Week’s 70th Anniversary
The National Wildlife Federation’s longest-running education program celebrates its 70th anniversary April 19-27. National Wildlife Week provides an opportunity for people of all ages to explore the outdoors by joining in the Nature Quest Wildlife Watch, an effort that involves searching for and identifying local plants and animals, then sharing news of those discoveries with others across the country. [+]
National
U.S. News & World Report – February 13, 2008
U.S. News & World Report Features Children & Nature
By Adam Voiland
In response to the recent Nature Conservancy report on the decline in outdoor recreation over the past few decades, U.S. News & World Report asked Richard Louv to discuss the reasons behind this trend and why reversing it is important. Also discussed in the interview are the benefits to children of spending time outdoors and how parents in urban areas can help their children connect with nature.
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National | Resource
Scientific American News – February 05, 2008
Scientific American: Are We Afraid of the Outdoors?
By David Biello
A new report on outdoor recreation trends is sending shock waves through the environmental community. The report, funded by the Nature Conservancy and just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, traces a steady decline over the past two decades in visits to national and state parks, in the number of people camping, and in the issuance of hunting and fishing licenses. Similar data on park visits in Japan and Spain suggest that this is an international problem.
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State | Resource
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle – December 19, 2007
New York Launches Outdoor Magazine for Kids
By Dan Osburn
Fourth-graders in New York State are the target of a new campaign to connect children with nature. As part of the state’s No Child Left Inside program, a magazine has been created that will eventually be distributed free to all of fourth-graders in public schools across the state. The premier issue, published this month, features an article on being a winter wildlife detective and a guide to animal tracks.
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International | Resource
YouTube – December 06, 2007
Film Captures Last Children in the Woods
By Enting Films
A sobering short film from the Netherlands shows noted environmentalist and author Thomas van Slobbe on the trail of an endangered species: children playing outdoors. Shot in the style of a traditional nature documentary, this darkly comic piece imagines a not-too-distant future when children never venture outdoors. The film can be viewed in its entirety on YouTube.
Commentary
QUEST series focuses on Nature Deficit Disorder
On May 12, San Francisco's KQED Public Television series QUEST aired this special report on why we need nature, and efforts to encourage children to play outdoors.
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Allies
(Detroit) Metro Times – April 09, 2008
Children and Nature Documentary Airs
By Jim McFarlen
A one-hour documentary examining the impact that sprawl, congestion, and suburban development are having on children’s mental and physical health is scheduled for broadcast on Michigan Public Television the week of April 14. Seven years in the making and partially funded by the University of Michigan, Where Do the Children Play? will air on stations throughout the state and is also being shown at special viewings across the country.
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National
The Beacon (Wilkes University) – February 24, 2008
Trail Guides for the iPod Generation
By Nick Podolak
A biology professor at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania has teamed with students to create high-tech trail guides to local sites for people unaccustomed to exploring nature. The guides, which can be downloaded from the Web and played on an iPod, are an attempt to combat nature-deficit disorder.
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Commentary | Review
Burlington County Times – March 18, 2008
New Book Looks at Nature Through Child’s Eyes
By Kristen Coppock
A child’s first discoveries of the natural world are the subject of a new book. Written by an American now living in Germany, Luisa’s Nature tries to capture the wonder and curiosity inspired by a young girl’s first encounters with plants and animals large and small. The author hopes that his work encourages parents to teach their children about nature and raises readers’ awareness of the environment.
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National
Boston Globe – July 07, 2007
Nature makes a comeback
By Jenna Russell
It's a techno world: This front-page article reports that traditional camps may be acquiring a new appeal — as an antidote to nature-deficit disorder.
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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.
