Outdoor Resources Review Group Report - American Recreation ...

A little water can’t dampen spirits at an urban park, but
around the country many children lack ready access to
playgrounds, and recess has mostly disappeared from
school schedules.
The free-roaming outdoor play many older
adults experienced in their youth has declined
sharply. Environmental education experts report
a growing “nature deficit” is evident among
America’s youth, resulting from too little time
spent outdoors. The trend is well described
by Richard Louv, co-founder of the Children
& Nature Network, in his book Last Child in
the Woods. The reasons cited are familiar:
poorly designed or inaccessible playgrounds or
other outdoor spaces, apprehensive parents,
hectic and overstructured lifestyles, and
school curricula that do not provide time for
outdoor activities. As the country has become
increasingly urbanized, for many Americans
the tie to open spaces and natural landscapes
has diminished.
Engaging children at a young age is key to
fostering lifelong enjoyment of the outdoors,
an appreciation of the integral connection
between people and nature, and awareness
of the importance of recreation and outdoor
32 GREAT OUTDOORS AMERICA
activities to physical, mental, and emotional
health. The benefits are seen in more creative
play and active imaginations, more opportunity
to socialize with their peers, lower stress levels,
better physical health and stronger immune
systems, and less hyperactivity. One way some
states are addressing the nature deficit is
through hunter and angler mentoring programs
for young people to encourage participation
in these activities.
Many channels for environmental education
exist through school coursework and clubs,
parks and nature centers, community
conservation groups, and the like. The National
Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF),
for example, sponsors an annual Environmental
Education Week that is devoted to a theme—
energy or water, for instance—and works with
teachers to provide materials they can draw
on. NEEF also sponsors Public Lands Day,
thought to be the largest volunteer event
getting Americans outdoors to work on clean
up, restoration, and related projects. In concert
with many federal, state, and local agencies,
participation has exploded, up from 5,000
volunteers in 1997 to 120,000 in 2008. Sharp
increases in participation occurred when state
and local parks were added as close-to-home
venues for volunteers; 600 urban sites now
take part in Public Lands Day.
The Student Conservation Association (SCA)
reports that its community conservation
program, especially in urban parks, and its
conservation leadership corps are among its
fastest-growing ventures. SCA aims to nurture
a conservation ethic among young Americans
through volunteer youth service programs.
More nature education programs are
successfully taking advantage of youths’
fascination with electronic devices to stimulate