Resource News
National
52-page special edition of Fish & Wildlife News dedicated to children and nature
Download Now (4M)
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, a leader in the children and nature movement, has formed a Children and Nature Working Group to identify ways to inform communities about the benefits of “nature play,” which is good for both children and adults. A recently published special edition of Fish & Wildlife News is a wonderful resource; it offers an in-depth report on what USFWS employees, from coast to coast, are doing to reconnect children with nature.
"Connecting people with nature should not be just another box to check off on a performance plan," writes Director Dale Hall in the introduction. "It should be something we want to do, something that is a part of us."
Download the Fish & Wildlife News Special Edition (4M)
[PDF]
Research & Studies
the Daily Mail, UK – June 15, 2007
How children lost the right to roam in four generations
By DAVID DERBYSHIRE
Report warns that the mental health of 21st-century children is at risk because they are missing out on the exposure to the natural world enjoyed by past generations. The report's author Dr William Bird, the health adviser to Natural England believes children's long-term mental health is at risk.
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Allies
Natural Biodiversity
Kids’ Patch
Visit the Kids’ Patch! Here is where you can learn all about good and bad plants. Kids' Patch has sections for parents and teachers, with projects and activities that will help your children learn about our environment. The Kids’ Patch is an online initiative of Natural Biodiversity, a nonprofit program in Johnstown, Pa., dedicated to invasive-plant control and native-habitat restoration. The site was developed by Natural Biodiversity with support from USDA APHIS, Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps/AmeriCorps, National Wildlife Federation, and the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.
International | Access
Vancouver Free Press – September 20, 2007
A dose of nature is good for body and soul
By Jack Christie
British Columbia offers two unique resources for combatting nature-deficit disorder. The recently opened Brae Island that provides a safe place for family camping in an urban environment, and pediatrician Joseph Lin's Green Club, which brings a natural dose of prevention to the Asian-Canadian community.
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Research & Studies | Health
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS – January 01, 2007
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says free and unstructured play is healthy and essential
By Kenneth R. Ginsburg MD, MS Ed., the Committee on Communications and Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health
This report offers guidelines on how pediatricians can advocate for children by helping families, school systems, and communities consider how best to ensure play is protected as they seek the balance in children’s lives to create the optimal developmental milieu.
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International
Get to Know – February 01, 2007
Attention Young Writers and Painters
Wildlife artist Robert Bateman’s "Get to Know" Contest aims to encourage young Canadians to spend more time outdoors.
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.
