Archive Features:
“My father took me to the woods to smell the fall leaves,” said Richard
Louv, author of the best-selling book “Last Child in the Woods.” “Now, few
people have that opportunity.”
Smelling the fall leaves, while an important beginning, constituted only the
tip of Louv’s
affinity for the out-of-doors. He and his father—and later he and his
sons—did much more. They roamed the forests, learned about plant and animal
life, and fished in unspoiled lakes. He is convinced that they are far
healthier intellectually, emotionally and physically for having done so.
Last fall, Louv spoke in Richmond. His visit was sponsored by the Chesapeake
Bay Foundation, the James River Association and VCU’s Rice Center for
Environmental Life Sciences.
In person and in print, Louv presents a convincing case that children well
acquainted with nature have indisputable advantages over those participating
predominantly in indoor activities.
Louv also explained that an acquaintance with nature consists of playing
outdoors freely, with frequent and improvisational exploring. Friday’s
soccer game doesn’t count.
Explore the Benefits of Nature
Children who spend free time with nature have more energy, greater
propensities for improved relationships with other people, and minds that
inquire more deeply into causes and effects, said Louv. All these traits
make them better students, happier children and ultimately more productive
adults than those wired to television, video games and soft couches.
Other bonuses emerge: there is strong evidence that children with allergies
and asthma, given extensive exposure to nature, have fewer attacks. Children
with ADD and other hindrances to learning in traditional ways have shown
dramatic improvement after removal from their usual indoor environments to
regular experiences outside.
They need trees to climb and streams that attract dragonflies and bare toes.
Conversely, those among us who have succumbed to “nature deficit disorder”—Louv’s
label for humans’ alienation from nature—are paying great costs. Among these
are “…the diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher
rates of physical and emotional stress.”
It behooves all of us to plan time outside with our children, wandering and
wondering.
Teachers Learn, Too
Most children handle the rough and tumble encouraged by the woods and the
open fields much better than we suppose. Adults, on the other hand, might
not.
Louv told of one teacher, who, on arriving back at school with her children
after her first outdoor class, announced with a shudder, “We saw a SNAKE!”
Dryly, those who had encouraged the outdoor session responded, “That’s the
point.”
Many early childhood educators have insufficient acquaintance with the
out-of-doors. They as well as their wards need to learn of the benefits
nature offers. Louv’s studies demonstrate that teachers who regularly take
their classes outside experience less burnout than those bound to indoor
activities.
Disappearing Access
Young and old Americans have become separated from nature and fearful of it.
Many cities and communities have put constraints on activities that would
have served as health measures. Components of traditional small-town
American life—corner-lot ball fields, for example—are declared off-limits;
someone might get hurt and a lawsuit would follow.
Louv gave an example of one city’s correct handling of a conflict arising
from a child’s drowning in a lake in the city park.
Some residents pleaded to barricade the lake and forbid any use of it. The
judge on whom the decision rested decided against the prohibition. The lake,
he said, had been the instrument of many people’s learning to swim. The
benefits it offered outweighed the dangers, so the lake would remain open.
Louv’s campaign is not an extension of the green cause. While he certainly
favors protecting the environment, he called for a “reframing of
environmentalism. It’s about our restoration”—the emphasis is on “our”—“and
not just preserving and restoring nature.”
Nature demands reasoning and encourages reasonable responses. Our children
will be wiser and better if we give them regular exposure to the greater
world outside.
Where Should We Go? Nearby, Naturally!
Richard Louv is not alone in his belief that nature nurtures children. Dr.
John Davis of Naropa University says in his article, “The Psychological
Benefits of Nature Experiences,” that nature encourages “hardiness and
self-control.” Both are assets to human personality and character. The
natural settings Davis recommends include a wide range, “from nearby nature
to wilderness.”
You may have problems reaching the wilderness, but almost anyone can find
“nearby nature” easily. In Richmond and surrounding areas, parks abound.
Here’s a short list to get you started this spring.
Richmond City
The James River Park system is flush with trails, woods, water and open
spaces. Parks employee Felicia Cotten says the parks along the river offer
many and varied classes for all ages. Schools can request field trips tied
to the SOL tests. Adults and kids can experience a wealth of rich contact
with nature, according to Cotten: “Wild animals, plant life, birds,
salamanders gathering on rainy nights in late February or early
March…wonderful things!”
www.richmondgov.com
Henrico County
Three Lakes Park is a gem. Trails surround the lakes and a nature center.
Great blue herons, among countless other birds and animals, homestead in the
marshes and woods. The aquarium and class offerings introduce children to
the excitement outside.
www.co.henrico.va.us/rec
Chesterfield County
Among the county’s many splendid sites is Robious Landing Park, near James
River High School. Color-coded trails and access to the river offer
all-season pleasure to venturesome children and adults. Another choice,
Dutch Gap Conservation Area, covers 800 acres, with miles of waterfront and
heavy vegetation. The park surrounds historic Citie of Henricus.
www.co.chesterfield.va.us
Hanover County
A favorite of Parks staff in Hanover is Poor Farm Park in Ashland. Poor
Farm is “very nature oriented,” with its hiking trails, dense foliage and
creeks.
www.co.hanover.va.us/parksrec