Children and Nature Saratoga launches campaign
Sunday February 15th, 2009
http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2009/02/15/news/doc4997947823089407586138.txt
Sunday, February 15, 2009
By ANN MARIE FRENCH, The Saratogian
SARATOGA SPRINGS — When word came down that Cheryl Charles, president and co-founder of the Children and Nature Network, was going to be in West Point in April 2008, several local groups lobbied to have her come to Saratoga Springs.
She came and was well-received. Her message of the need to reconnect children with nature hit home.
“The more I’m learning, the more I am really feeling I can speak to this,” said Ardie Pierce, who has led the charge in creating a regional group dedicated to the cause — Children and Nature Saratoga.
The Web site of the same name, http://www.childrenandnature saratoga.org, launches Monday and will provide the Saratoga Springs area with a resource dedicated to encouraging “continuous nature-centered outdoor experiences that enrich the lives of children.”
Parents and children will be able to access a calendar of outdoor activities in the Saratoga region and Adirondack Park, as well as find recommended reading lists and related links to the subject matter. The Web site will also be the place to sign up for weekly updates, news and events.
This local effort, as well as those made by the state and national organizations, utilizes Richard Louv’s book, “Last Child in the Woods,” as a point of reference for their work. The Children in Nature New York State committee is organizing a two-day event in May featuring Louv as the keynote speaker. The event will kick off at the Saratoga Spa State Park on May 1.
Pierce, who serves as executive director of Children and Nature Saratoga, is one of six people in the region working on New York State’s Outdoor Bill of Rights, scheduled to be unveiled at the event. This document will be similar to those of other states, such as California’s, where items include “splash in the water,” “play in a safe place,” “follow a trail” and “catch a fish.”
Children and Nature Saratoga has a tagline of “come out and play.” Pierce said while it sounds simple enough, in the last two generations, the nostalgic images of children playing outside are not an easy reality. She said adults have developed underlying fears about abduction, weather and other things that haven’t caused as much concern in years past.
“We need to give children the gift of freedom and independence to interact with the natural world,” Pierce said. “It’s okay to send them outside, but let’s give them some boundaries.”
One suggestion is to encourage outdoor nature play in neighborhood groups. Parents in the neighborhood would identify safe places for kids to play and create activities for them if desired. The groups may meet formally or not. Pierce said the key is to work toward alleviating the disconnect between children and nature.
“There is the physical healthy benefit and the emotional well- being,” she said. “Fresh air and the outdoors do help the mind, body and spirit of children and adults. It also creates an awareness that will make them good stewards of the land.”
Pierce first reached out to the Nordlys Foundation, a local organization providing support to the start-up of not-for-profit organizations. The foundation has committed two years of funding to the project. Saratoga Institute has also assisted with the launch of the project. Children and Nature Saratoga has reached out to partner with local institutions and businesses to provide opportunities and support for outdoor experiences for children.
Pierce said she hopes that with partners such as Skidmore College, Saratoga Spa State Park and others, the organization’s message of how important it is to get kids to play outside will be shared by more members of the community. People interested in being more active in the mission of Children and Nature Saratoga can go to http://www.childrenandsaratoga.org and click the “join us” link, or contact Pierce at .
