Child and Nature Alliance of Canada - May updates
In this update, we would like to bring your attention to a few upcoming opportunities across the country that relate to the Canadian child and nature movement.
As part of our Natural Leaders Alliance, BC Youth are invited to apply for the Get Outside BC Youth project that we're collaborating on with CPAWS-BC, BC Parks, Mountain Equipment Co-op and Parks Canada! Applications are due May 31st, so please spread the word to any interested youth you know! The first part of the project is a free, 3-day outdoor youth leadership summit! Go to www.getoutsidebc.ca for more information!
In September we are co-hosting the Healthy by Nature Forum to raise awareness about the human health and well-being benefits of time spent in nature and to explore effective, multi-sector ways to build communities to reap these benefits. Join us for this exciting event! If you have an initiative, program or research project that you want to profile, check out the Call for Community Showcase and the Call for Posters at www.healthybynature.ca/showcase.
June 15th is Nature Play Day in Canada! We're inviting all of our member, collaborators and kindred spirits to join us on June 15th to celebrate the joys of playing outside. Invite your friends and family along with you to play outside. Register your event on our map to be entered to win prizes! For more information go to www.natureplayday.ca.
Our Honourary Chair, Richard Louv, just launched his follow-up book to Last Child in the Woods. The Nature Principle describes a new nature movement and sets the stage for an even larger movement towards a society that values nearby nature for everyone. www.richardlouv.com
If you're in the Toronto area, join the Royal Botanical Gardens for a launch event with Louv on May 31st. If you're in Saskatchewan, he'll be speaking at the Improving Health for Children conference on June 2nd.
We were with Richard Louv at the Vancouver launch of The Nature Principle at the EPIC show in Vancouver on May 14th. Welcome to all of our new members who joined us at the show - it was great to meet you all!
(Photo - Alliance Manager, Becs Hoskins; Honourary Chair, Richard Louv; and Alliance Chair, Bob Peart.)
In April, the Active Healthy Kids Canada 2011 Report Card was released, and for the first time, presented an indicator for Nature and Outdoor Time. The Alliance, along with Kid Active and Carp Ridge Learning Centre collaborated with the Research Team to develop the indicator. Included in the indicator is the concept of a continuum of nature experience. For the section on the Nature and Outdoor Indicator go to page 52 of the long-form report card here.
We have a NEW fan page on Facebook - be sure to follow us for the latest news and updates! www.facebook.com/childnaturecanada!
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