Children & Nature Movement Update: Louv

An Update from Richard Louv's Children & Nature Network (in the United States) February 2007 "A back-to-nature movement to reconnect children with the outdoors is burgeoning nationwide" - USA Today, Nov. 21, 2006 Children & Nature Movement Update The grass roots Children and Nature Movement continues to grow and expand. Twenty-two regions have now launched or are considering launching a Children & Nature Campaign. From Louisville to Seattle, communities are coming together to raise awareness and map-out plans for action. Shifts in policy are also underway with several groups working together to propose children and nature amendments to the No Child Left Behind Act. Recent movement gatherings include the December conference on children and nature hosted by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and the C&NN planning session held in January to inform the drafting of a C&NN Action Guide for regional leaders and community collaboratives. C&NN Chairman, Rich Louv, continues to speak as author and a spokesman for the movement with over 20 speaking engagements in February and March alone. As the movement grows, so do the resources and support for movement leaders. This month C&NN publishes two key tools for communicating the need, reasons, urgency and scientific foundations for taking action to re-connect children & nature: 1) a report listing the first of 20 premier research studies on the benefits of connecting children to nature, and 2) a selection of conference resources, including exclusive video excerpts, from the 2006 Dialogue on Children and Nature co-convened by the Conservation Fund, the National Conservation Training Center and Rich Louv. These resources will help provide scientific information, common language and a shared vision to support advocacy, innovation, and local leadership. Research Report Parents and grandparents, friends, family, teachers, physicians and concerned citizens-people want to do what is right and best for children. With that in mind, C&NN has set out to compile a premier set of research studies to help us all understand the connection between nature and the healthy development of children. The conclusion of these studies is clear: nature experience improves children's health, happiness, academic achievement, and general well being. [+] read more <http://www.cnaturenet.org/02_rsrch_studies/02_resrch_intro.html> Leadership Report and Resources C&NN publishes a Leadership Report on the National Dialogue on Children and Nature with video and PowerPoint presentations. View video excerpts or presentations by Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, Richard Louv, Larry Selzer, Stephen Kellert, Kathy Baughman McLeod, Charles Jordan and others as they speak out on the children and nature connection. [+] read more <http://www.cnaturenet.org/03_lead_rprt/conf_hm.html>