 | | Scott Staats CENTRAL OREGONIAN | | The search for bugs, as shown here by 10-year-old Chris, can be an important part of avoiding Nature Deficit Disorder |
|
When I was a kid, my mom would tell my two brothers and me to go outside and play. Of course she didn't have to say it too often since we were outside every chance we got. The creek bordered our backyard and there were woods on two sides of our property - enough "outdoors" to keep us busy and pretty much out of trouble.
We built trails and forts in the woods, looked under just about every rock in the creek and simply explored every nook and cranny available to us, unknowingly getting fresh air and exercise. Fascination and excitement filled our days of exploration. Our parents would take us hiking most weekends and backpacking in the summer, leading the three of us to careers tied to the outdoors.
Today, things seem different. It seems like mothers are saying, "Go to your room and play," instead of "Go outside and play."
Most kids in today's electronic and gadgetry age learn about nature from their computer or TV, at a comfortable distance from nature and in a two-dimensional form. To me, it's just not the same as turning over rocks in a stream, watching a bird through binoculars or feeling a refreshing rain on your face.
Of course parents don't want their kids to wander off too far from home for fear that a media-enhanced human predator may be lurking nearby, but kids shouldn't stay cooped up in the house either. Parents need to take their kids outdoors more often: for a walk after school; or a hike on the weekend; or buy them a bird book and an inexpensive pair of binoculars for backyard birding.
I can understand that kids living in a city may have a harder time getting in the outdoors but living here in central Oregon, there's almost no excuse. What a place to be a kid: there are rivers and lakes for fishing, swimming and boating; there are mountains, forests and high desert with a variety of scenic hiking trails; there are countless opportunities for getting out and experiencing the outdoors.
I am reading a great book titled Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv. He coined the term "nature-deficit disorder" to describe what's happening to this generation of children. He says that children's mental, physical and spiritual health is at risk by not getting outdoors.
"We are still hunter-gatherers biologically," he says. "There is something in us that needs nature. When we don't get it, we don't do so well." He traveled the country and interviewed thousands of parents, kids, teachers, researchers, environmentalists and other concerned people.
Studies show that kids spend about 44 hours a week plugged into some sort of electronic media. They spend more time in a vehicle or in organized sports than they do out in nature. Other studies have shown that when kids are outside, it improves their capacity to pay attention, makes them more creative and gives them an appreciation of nature.
When growing up, Louv said that "The woods were my Ritalin." With the increasing amount of urban area's today, Louv said cities have to look at increasing the amount of nature through green urbanism. A few schools in central Oregon are doing just this, such as John Tuck Elementary School in Redmond.
I visited Sue Spurgeon's 4th grade class one afternoon as they met outside in their Outdoor Habitat. The area, nestled between the library and another wing of the school, consists of a vegetable garden, butterfly garden, bird garden, sunflower house, bird houses, worm composting, pond, waterfall and stream.
The Outdoor Habitat is part of the 4-H Wildlife Stewards Program, where kids learn in an outdoor setting. The program is funded through OSU Extension and the National Science Foundation. The school started planning the project about eight years ago with the actual plantings beginning about six years ago.
"It's been a wonderful community project because every part of it was either donated or built by kids," said Spurgeon. "It's connected to the library so kids can go out there and read. It's a very pleasant and relaxing place."
For one project this year, called Adopt a Tree, the kids will observe a tree through all the seasons. Spurgeon said the entire program is based on hands-on learning. Instead of reading about plants and animals in a science book, they actually see them and study them in a more natural setting and even conduct experiments out there as well.
Many schools, including John Tuck, have had their field trips cut down to just a few per year. But Spurgeon says they take field trips out to the Outdoor Habitat anytime they want. She grew up on a ranch and has a love for the outdoors and agriculture. She believes that many kids have not been exposed to positive outdoor experiences.
"I think kids go to the grocery store and don't realize where their food comes from," she said. "In the Outdoor Habitat, the kids are enthralled to see things grow and do research on things that interest them."
Fifth grade teacher Dave Brouillard also takes his classes outside to the Outdoor Habitat to read and watch nature. He said they often just sit and watch the different birds that are attracted to the feeders and flowers such as doves, robins, finches and jays.
Holding classes out in the habitat actually counts toward the school's curriculum, said Spurgeon. The state benchmarks for science include such topics as grouping or classifying organisms based on a variety of characteristics, and describing a life cycle of an organism. In this way, the area acts as an outdoor classroom.
The kids looked more alert and paid closer attention than I would expect in the classroom as Spurgeon read to them out in the habitat. They actually looked and acted excited to be outside.
"We get to see all the plants out here and help them grow," said 9-year old Skylar of Ms. Spurgeon's class. "It's important to help nature and its plants and wildlife."
Ten-year old Chris was also enjoying the Outdoor Habitat that afternoon. "I think it's cool," he said. "We are learning all about habitats. I've been catching bugs and spiders all my life." Chris is the self-appointed caretaker of the garden's praying mantis and makes sure it has enough to eat each day.
Schools aren't alone in trying to get kids more in touch with nature. Recently, Forest Service Chief Gail Kimball unveiled a new program called "More Kids in the Woods." The goal is to get kids away from the TV, computers and PlayStations and out into the forest, face to face with nature.
In a recent speech, she said, "To everyone anywhere who cares about the future of forests or of children: I challenge you to take at least one child into the woods. Show them what it was that caught your imagination, made you want to explore, what you loved about the woods. Let them experience the same wonder and awe that you did."
Louv's concern is that children today are growing up isolated or even removed from nature and that the earth is losing this important generation who can take care of an ailing planet. But, with teachers such as Spurgeon and Brouillard and students such as Chris and Skylar, there remains plenty of hope for the future.
Slideshows
Scott Staats has slideshow presentations on the outdoors available to schools and other interested groups. Shows include Oregon Coast, Yellowstone, Alaska, National Parks, Geology of Oregon, Appalachian Trail and more. Contact Staats at falcon@crestviewcable.com or 416-9316. |
