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Who We Are / Mission / Staff > Native
Species Restoration Conserving America's Fisheries Phone: (989) 356-5102 Fax: (989) 356-4651 Address: 145 Water St, Room 204 Alpena, MI 49707 |
Helping
Children and Families Connect with Nature
" If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in." - Rachel Carson
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recognized the importance of connecting children with nature for years, but only recently recognized how little time kids are spending outdoors. For most biologists, being outdoors when we were children was akin to breathing. Children that spend time outdoors learn to value their surroundings and environment. If kids are spending all of their time indoors, who will be the future biologists and environmentalists? “Nature Deficit Disorder”, a phrase coined by Richard Louv in his book Last Child in the Woods, emphasizes that this disconnect has reached epidemic proportions nation-wide.
As natural resource personnel, we have an obligation to educate children and parents about the importance of spending unstructured time outside in local parks, natural areas, or in their own backyards. Providing natural areas and outdoor experiences for elementary aged students is the key to imparting the value of the environment to children at a young age.
The Alpena FWCO is developing a pilot program in cooperation with Alpena Public School District personnel, to incorporate outdoors experiences into the elementary school curriculum. The program will create “nature acres”, places on school grounds for kids to experience the natural world, at each of the schools and provide Service staff as resources for teachers to assist with the curriculum. Wilson Elementary School, located within the Alpena Public School District, has volunteered to pilot the program.
For more information on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Children and Nature Program visit http://www.fws.gov/letsgooutside/.
