This was taken at Crater Lake just after my mom and I tripped and almost fell.

The Bike Ride

We were on a family trip to Alaska and decided to take a bike ride. The mosquitoes were miserable, we were hungry and tired, but we were trying to stay positive. My brother led the pack as we approached a puddle that spanned the road. He decided we should stop, get off our bikes, and carry them through the bushes around the puddle. All of us followed, except my mom. As she rode full speed ahead we heard her say, “I think I can make it through”. Halfway through the puddle (small lake) her bike stopped and she sank. Soaked and trapped in the middle of this huge puddle, she just cracked up. We couldn’t help but join the laughter. It’s overall one of the best memories I have outdoors with my mom.

The Rose Garden

I was maybe 8 years old. My mom and I packed up for a picnic at the local rose garden. I had never been stung and was absolutely terrified of bees. When we arrived, the rose garden hummed with bees, but my mom assured me that the bees wouldn’t be interested in us. Just as we started our picnic and I began to relax, “OUCH!” my mom got stung. She played it off as though it didn’t hurt because she didn’t want to scare me, even though a welt was clearly forming. This is a favorite of mine because it was time alone, just me and my mom. It also shows how my mom always made the best of every adventure, the good and bad.

…And The Rain

I grew up in Portland, and maybe you’ve heard, it rains. A lot. Just about every camping trip I can remember involved at least one day of rain, even during the summer months. Getting wet and having to be in a tent isn’t always the best as a kid, but somehow my mom made it fun with silly songs, board games, and her positive energy. When it rains, why not splash around in the mud and make the best of it!

Outdoor adventures will rarely go as planned. I learned from my time in outdoors with my mom how to be patient, flexible and positive. Besides, perfection in nature is boring. I don’t remember the trips that went smoothly, it’s the mishaps that are special. I adore my mom’s willingness to be silly and make every adventure full of laughter, even when things go wrong. It’s filled my childhood with the best stories and memories.

Celebrate Mother’s Day:

• Enjoy these adorable pictures of wildlife mothers with their babies.
• Share your stories of your mom and nature in the comments below.
• Take an adventure together!
• Make a My Mom’s a Star Mother’s Day card.
• Give your mom a special breakfast in bed.

Me, my mom and my sister enjoying one of our many outdoor adventures. Also, I don’t have an answer for why there is a tissue sitting there. My mom assures me we picked it up.

According the American Psychological Association (APA) more than one third of Americans report high stress levels, and one in five say they feel very stressed at least half of each month. Stress impacts our health with physical symptoms like fatigue, headache, stomach upset, and back pain. It can affect our emotions, causing anger, depression, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.

Children, as well as adults, feel the pressure from peers, schoolwork, and busy schedules. So what can we do?

Eating right, making time for exercise and spending time with friends and family are all important steps. But, a step outside may be the most beneficial. One study, from the American Journal of Public Health, revealed stress levels fall within mere minutes of being outside.

Here Are 3 Great Ways to Go Outside & Get Calmer:

1. Run (Walk, or Bike) Away From Your Problems

Everyone knows getting moving is great for you; moving around outdoors may be even better. According to Oprah.com, scientists have found that walks in nature reduce markers of stress within the body like decreased blood pressure, heart rates, and lower levels of cortisol.

Get outdoors and get moving with these activities or go to NWF’s Activity Finder for more ways to Be Out There:

• Kick a ball with your kids
• Climb a tree
• Play Tag or hopscotch
• Host neighborhood relay races
• Jump rope

2. Be Still Your Beating Heart

Meditation is an excellent stress buster. Why not find a quiet spot in your backyard or local park and enjoy some outdoor introspection? Here are some simple techniques from the Mayo Clinic:

• Breathe deeply. Focus all attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly. When your attention wanders, gently return your focus to your breathing.
• Scan your body. Focus attention on different parts of your body. Become aware of your body’s various sensations. Combine body scanning with breathing exercises.
• Repeat a mantra. You can create your own mantra, whether it’s religious or secular, such as “Om.”
• Walk and meditate. Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to relax. You can use this technique anywhere you’re walking–in a tranquil forest or a city sidewalk.

3. Get Grounded

There’s powerful evidence that digging in the dirt reduces depression and anxiety and strengthens immunity. According to Huffingtonpost.com, a 2008 survey showed gardening may help reduce stress, even among those caring for chronically ill family members. Huffingtonpost.com also reports gardening can help lower cortisol levels and boost mood among people who had just finished a stressful task.

So grab your trowel and some seeds or plants and start growing with your family. Get your kids in on the action with these great tips for gardening with kids.

This month, try an easy, healthy, and fun way to reduce stress– spend time outdoors. Where you’re gardening, exercising, or just “be-ing” a new, relaxed you is just moments away!

For other helpful resources and to learn more about NWF’s goal to get 10 million more kids spending regular time in the great outdoors, visit: www.BeOutThere.org.

Alyson Weinberg (Mom, writer): Alyson Weinberg is a Washington DC-based writer specializing in issues concerning children and families. She is an award-winning speech writer, feature writer and communications strategist and the former editor of Spirit, the magazine of the Special Olympics movement. Alyson’s articles and editorials have appeared in national print media, textbooks, and on the web. She and her husband Josh live with their two daughters, Josie and Raina, in Potomac, MD.

New guide addresses parents’ weather-related concerns around letting kids enjoy outdoor playtime

March 27 – The new weather guide emphasizes the growing disparity between kids and outdoor play time, some of which is brought about by misguided weather concerns. The Forecast Calls for Play (pdf) reports that 61 percent of parents cite weather as the number one reason their kids do not get outside. According to the guide, parents’ aversion to letting their kids play outside in less-than-perfect weather is depriving them of the many physical and mental benefits outdoor play can provide.

“This guide shows that children are safe to play outside in most kinds of weather barring the extremes,” said Lindsay Legendre, manager of NWF’s Be Out There program. “Regular outdoor play is so important to kids’ healthy development and a little rain shouldn’t stop them from being out there. Parents might enjoy puddle jumping again themselves.”

For more information about fun outdoor activities, please visit our Be Out There page

National Blueprint for Addressing Climate Change Impacts on Wildlife and Habitats

March 26 – National Wildlife Federation welcomes the release today of a long-awaited national strategy for tackling the impacts of climate change on the nation’s plants, animals, and ecosystems. Developed collaboratively by federal, state, and tribal governments the National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy lays out a blueprint for safeguarding wildlife in the face of climate change and increases in extreme weather.

“Climate change is now the most serious threat facing wildlife,” said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of National Wildlife Federation. “In addition to the urgent need to reduce the carbon pollution driving global warming, we must begin preparing for and addressing the climate impacts already hurting our wildlife heritage and local communities.”

For more on climate adaption, visit our Climate-Smart Conservation page

NWF-Led Coalition Calls for Stronger Tar Sands Pipeline Standards

March 26 – A coalition of landowners, former and current government officials, environmental, renewable energy and sportsmen’s groups filed a petition today with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asking the agencies to develop stronger safety standards for tar sands oil pipelines.

“As the Kalamazoo River spill and ongoing cleanup show, current standards are failing to protect wildlife, habitats, and water supplies against the unique risks of pipeline transit of sticky, corrosive tar sands,” said Jim Murphy, senior counsel at the National Wildlife Federation. “It’s clear we need tough new standards to protect wildlife, our natural resources and public health. Until the right standards are put into place, we shouldn’t be exposing more communities and resources to tar sands risks.”

The petition effort is spearheaded by the National Wildlife Federation and includes 29 national, state and local organizations as well as 36 landowners from states across the country impacted by existing and proposed tar sands pipelines. It requests a halt to new or expanded tar sands pipelines until adequate rules are in place.

For more on Tar Sands Oil, visit our Climate and Energy page

 And now here are highlights from NWF in the news:

• The Huffington Post: Five Ways to Celebrate National Wildlife Week
• Wall Street Journal: New Requirements for Ballast Water Dumped By Ships
• Washington Post: Keystone Fears Resonate Among New England
• Today Show: Bird Call Girls: Hoda and Molly Ringwald chat with a kookaburra
• Public News Service: Mainers Join to Petition U.S. on Tar Sands Regs
• The Houston Chronicle: Funds to Restore the Gulf

For more visit www.nwf.org/news

The thought of losing these special places tugs at my heart.  As I sift through hundreds of photos capturing countless memories of special moments that I have spent in our parks, I am reminded just how important they have been, and continue to be, in my family’s lives.

Help Protect Our Parks!

Please share your own photos of your favorite moments at Washington’s State Parks so we can remind our leaders what’s really at stake!

How to Submit Your Photos:

1. Email
   Attach your photos to an email, put the name of the State Park in the subject line, and add a short description in the text body. Email your photos to sun63water@photos.flickr.com.
2. Facebook
   Upload your photo to the Pacific Regional Center’s Facebook page with a short description, and tag with #wastateparks.

Requirements:
Please only send us photos that belong to you, and note that by sending us photos, you give us permission to post them on our website (with attribution).

What’s at Stake

What’s at stake if our Washington State Parks were to close? The way I look at it, people and wildlife have a lot to lose. These stories and photos help me to remember that Washington State Parks are our legacy to our children and to their children, to our future:

Sucia Island State Park is a 564-acre marine park with 77,700 feet of shoreline. Sucia Island is considered the crown jewel of the state’s marine park system. It is consistently ranked as one of the top boating destinations in the world.

The fourth oldest park system in the country, Washington has 117 parks and 700 historic structures. These natural places are a delight to explore and learn about the history of our region and about nature and wildlife. With so many great state parks just a short road trip away, you are sure to find the perfect weekend destination.

Picnics and family gatherings, annual camping trips, wildlife and tranquil natural settings away from the city and immersed in nature is what you will find at State Parks.

Blake Island State Park is a 475-acre marine camping park with five miles of saltwater beach shoreline providing magnificent views of the Olympic Mountains and the Seattle skyline. The park is only reachable by tour boat or private boat. Indian-style salmon dinners and demonstrations of Northwest Indian dancing are offered at Tillicum Village, a concession on the island.

Our Parks: Where We Go to Play

Deception Pass State Park is a 4,134-acre marine and camping park with 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline, and 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline on three lakes. Rugged cliffs drop to meet the turbulent waters of Deception Pass. The park is outstanding for breath-taking views, old-growth forests and abundant wildlife.

There are so many beaches, hikes, mountains and natural places in our State Parks to walk and explore! You may discover marine debris from faraway places. Build elaborate drift wood forts, scoop up seashells, and pocket colored sea glass and shiny pebbles. Skip rocks on calm water, first one then three and sometimes five skips, and fly kites in a vast blue sky next to weathered war-time bunkers, where harmonicas make a sweet sound resonating off dark silent walls.

Play football, ride bikes and tend to scuffed knees and scraped hands. Hike along paths lined with tall trees that sway in the wind, and see bushes filled with birds eating berries, and bees buzzing in the heat of the day. Discover a deer hidden in the tall grass.

Jones Island State park is a 188-acre marine camping park with 25,000 feet of saltwater shoreline on the San Juan channel. The park features a beautiful loop trail down the center of the island then around the western shore. 

These treasured times, out in nature on our public lands, in our State Parks, cannot be taken for granted or forgotten. They are a place of discovery and learning about our natural world, they teach us to understand and respect our history and our land. They are a place for personal growth and of treasured moments with family and friends.

Cape Disappointment State Park (formerly Fort Canby State Park) is a 1,882-acre camping park on the Long Beach Peninsula, fronted by the Pacific Ocean. The park offers two miles of ocean beach, two lighthouses, an interpretive center and hiking trails. Visitors enjoy beachcombing, ship watching and exploring the area’s rich natural and cultural history. The nearby coastal towns of Ilwaco and Long Beach feature special events and festivals spring through fall.

Cathy and son Mac lobbying for Washington State Parks at the State Capital in Olympia

State Parks in Trouble

Over the past four years, the State Park Commission’s budget has suffered an 88% reduction in general fund support. In 2011, the Washington Legislature created the Discover Pass to replace general fund tax money, but not enough passes are being sold to make up for the deep budget cuts. This means there are not enough funds to cover the cost of operating and maintaining state-managed recreation lands.

It’s not too late to stand up for our State Parks! Here’s how you can help make sure these special places continue to protect wildlife and inspire the next generation of conservationists:

1. Send us your photos of you visiting Washington’s State Parks, and we will share them with legislators to remind them of what’s really at stake (see instructions at top of page).
2. Urge your state legislators to support critical funding to protect Washington’s state parks.
3. Get your Discover Pass! This vehicle-access pass allows you to enjoy millions of acres of Washington state-managed recreation lands – including parks, wildlife areas, trails, natural and wilderness areas, heritage areas and water-access points.

Flickr photo by Jerry Oldenettel.

The recent Jaguar sightings come at a time when a few local policy battles could determine the size and scope of the species US habitat. After years of lawsuits and controversey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently issued a plan to recover the endangered species to its historic US terrain. FWS proposed designating 838,232 acres as critical jaguar habitat—covering four stretches of mountains in southeastern Arizona, a section of the Peloncillo Mountains on the Arizona–New Mexico border, and a tiny piece of New Mexico’s San Luis Mountains.

In addition to this ongoing controversy over critical habitat there also exists a potentially frightening roadblock to the Jaguar recovery as well as other species such as the Chiricahua leopard frog. Not too far from where this recent photo was taken is a pending proposal to develop a large scale copper mine. Rosemont, the local subsidiary of a Canadian mining corporation, is requesting permits to dig a mile-wide, half-mile deep pit and dump waste rock and tailings on more than 3,000 acres of National Forest land.

The draft Environmental Impact Statement  lists 27 imperiled plants and animals that would be directly harmed by the mine, including the jaguar. It says that the proposed action would directly destroy more than 6,000 acres of wildlife habitat and negatively affect another 90,000 acres. It describes significantly elevated levels of air and water pollutants associated with the mine, including greenhouse gases, and it states that groundwater impacts would dry up 84 springs and diminish or eliminate the flow of important perennial streams.

In addition to these issues highlighted by the Forest Service draft EIS,  EPA and DEQ have also issued concerns including:  Serious impacts to drinking water to local residents, potential violations to Arizona aquifer water quality standards as well as issues with 11 Indian Tribes. The mine site is alleged to contain up to 80 cultural sites, including burial sites, that must be considered and mitigated according to the National Historic Preservation Act.

Utah mine similar to Rosemont Mine proposed in Arizona- photo Earthworks

In this dry arid environment where water is arguably more precious than any metal, Rosemont Copper is proposing to dump untreated mining waste on 10–15 miles of streams and desert springs.

If you care about clean water and responsible energy development, and if you care about helping the endangered species such as the jaguar recover, please speak up today and ask the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers to prevent mining companies such as Rosemont Copper from endangering our fish, wildlife, and communities with industrial pollution.

Let’s give wildlife a fighting chance!

Speak up to protect jaguars, grizzlies, and many more wildlife from toxic mine pollution.

February 4, 2013 correction: This post was updated to better reflect the historic reasons for the decline of jaguars in North America, and to provide a broader view of the environmental and cultural impacts of the proposed mine. It was also changed to correctly attribute the recent jaguar photograph.

Opening in select theaters this weekend is the documentary Chasing Ice, which chronicles photographer Balog’s worldwide journey to accumulate visual evidence of the effects of climate change. We can’t necessarily see carbon pollution, but we can see what it does. And we can see it most clearly in the chilliest places on the planet–Iceland, Greenland, Alaska.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Balog and his team of scientists and engineers travel from glacier to glacier setting up cameras, bolting them to mountainsides or nestling them between boulders and out of the hurricane-force winds. The cameras are part of a high-tech, specially-constructed package made to (mostly) withstand harsh conditions, while still capturing an image every sixty minutes during daylight hours. The team checks back on the cameras periodically, downloading the files and fixing technical difficulties. Then they compile all the images, a virtual flipbook of sorts, showing the changes in glaciers over time; in this case, several years.

Since I am a mind-reader, I know you are thinking, glaciers are huge! Does a glacier’s size really change that much in such a short amount of time? 

You know the term “moving at a glacial pace,” used to infer that something is happening so slowly that it’s only noticeable on a geologic time scale? Based on Balog’s time-lapse images, it’s probably time we clarify that term…”moving at a glacial* pace” (*pre-industrialized-era glacier, that is). So yes, a glacier’s size really does change that much in such a short amount of time. Yes, because moving at a glacial pace is not quite as slow as it used to be.

The compiled images are really something else, something that we literally have never seen before, and the footage of Balog and Team tramping around ice fields and rappelling into crevasses is enough to make any cautious person’s stomach drop. But on a level far greater than promoting the aesthetic beauty of far-off places, Balog manages to bring the average person to far corners of the world, and closer to the ice-melting realities of our carbon-polluting society.

After you see this stunning documentary, visit the Chasing Ice website to spread the message and encourage high-profile members of our society to give it a watch.

• Find a screening of Chasing Ice near you
• Listen to the Fresh Air interview with James Balog, during which he asks, “If a glacier vanishes in the arctic and no camera is there to witness it, would anyone ever know if it was ever there?“ 
• Watch James Balog’s TED Talk

Connect with Campus Ecology on facebook, and follow @CampusEcology and @YouthforClimate on twitter. 

Looking up at Rainier from the trail (photo: Bryn Fluharty)

This past weekend the clouds parted and the temperature rose to a balmy 75°F. With a weekend full of promise a friend and I took off to the mountains to hike to Camp Muir, one of two base camps for climbing Mount Rainier.

Up and Up We Go

The sun shines bright in the sky at 9:00am as we pull into the parking lot at the Paradise lodge. At almost 6,000 feet already the 14,410 foot summit looms tantalizingly close. Grabbing our packs and ice axes we head out, past clumps of gawking tourists and groups preparing to attempt the summit.

In a month this area will be filled with a thick carpet of wildflowers which inspired the name Paradise, but today there is still snow covering the ground. About two miles in we hit the bare ground around Pebble Creek, which rushes out from beneath the Muir Snowfield only to dive again beneath the snow as it winds its way to lower elevations. Here the ground begins to tilt up as we climb up steeper and steeper slopes.

By early afternoon we have reached the small cluster of buildings that comprise the camp at 10,000 feet. From here we can see out over the Cascades to Mt. Adams and St. Helens who rise gracefully above the sharper, lower peaks below. Above us rises the smooth white dome of Rainier. How close it seems from here! It is hard not to think of making the trek up to the summit. Last year I climbed to the summit for the first time and have been itching to return. Today, however, is not the day, and we must be content with lounging in the warm sun and enjoying the view before heading back down.

Mt. Adams rises behind the Tatoosh Range South of Rainier (photo: Bryn Fluharty)

A Threat to Paradise

Climate change is threatening the beauty of this area. The glaciers are beginning to creep back up the slopes throughout Washington, leaving behind them bare, gray rock, the scars of a warming climate. The glaciers of Mt. Adams have already been reduced to almost half of what they were in 1904. This melting will forever change the face of these iconic mountains and our state. It will also impact water supplies for our urban and agricultural areas and for wildlife.

Be Out There to Fight Climate Change

Getting out into the mountains and experiencing the wonders that our natural lands have to offer us has inspired me to work for organizations like National Wildlife Federation and fight for changes in policy and culture to help mitigate the impacts of our changing climate. With younger generations so plugged into technology they are not always exposed to the great outdoors in the same ways. Unplugging kids and getting them back outside will help inspire a new generation of conservationists who are connected to and strive to protect nature.

Porches Bed and Breakfast in New Hope, Penn.

I started the day at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve with a walk led by its Executive Director, Miles Arnott. Miles led our small group on a fascinating hike of the preserve which was founded in 1934. The 134 acre preserve provides a full sensory experience, filled with an array of native and colorful wildflowers, the gurgling Pidcock Creek, and playful chirping birds. I highly recommend a visit to the Preserve for adults as well as those with kids—it’s a great way to connect with nature.

I had a lovely lunch with old and now new friends including the team at the Rago Arts and Auction Center. Founding partners David Rago and Suzanne Perrault are featured appraisers on the PBS series Antiques Roadshow. Miriam Tucker, also a partner at Rago, was there with her husband Jeff. The Rago team are friendly, art smart and well travelled. Specializing in the sale of several talented artists from the area such as George Nakashima, Paul Evans and Phillip Powell who all designed and created beautiful furniture (Mira Nakashima continues her father’s legacy at the studio he founded a short distance from where we all had lunch, al-fresco). A talented group of Pennsylvanian Impressionists and Modernists lived and painted “en plein air” (in the open air) all around this spectacular area. Their works are also part of Rago auctions, not surprisingly, as these artists managed to capture the charm and atmosphere of that vicinity so well.

The outdoor patio at DeAnna’s Restaurant and Bar.

I spent the night at Porches Bed and Breakfast in New Hope, Penn., built in 1830. B&B owner John Byers has decorated each room with an artful and eclectic flair and he serves an aromatic and tasty breakfast overlooking the gardens. Porches is conveniently located in the middle of town near New Hope’s bistros, shops and historic sights. So, pack a bag and head towards sister “cities” Lambertville and New Hope, or an outdoor oasis near you.

Coastal temperate rainforests of Cape Flattery (left) and Juneau (right). (Credit: Patricia Tillmann)

In recent months, I’ve been lucky to spend time in four impressive places throughout this landscape. Check out the photos and information here, then connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, or the comment boxes below to share the special or ordinary places that take your breath away! And do consider visiting our regional page, where you can learn more about how I’m helping preserve these beautiful places through my work with the North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative.

Juneau, Alaska

• Why it’s special: Alaska is home to some of the last remaining true wilderness. It is a dynamic and liberating landscape, home to the spectacular Tongass National Forest, whales, bald eagles galore, and hundreds of migratory birds. It is not unusual to spot a humpback whale (or whales) tracking a school of fish through the water, the water peppered from above by birds (Arctic terns in my case) eating their fill of the fish.
  

  The deep aqua hue of the water at Cape Flattery was unique and beautiful. (Credit: Patricia Tillmann, Hipstamatic print)

• What I did: Hiking around Juneau and the Mendenhall Glacier; shrimping
• Ease of replicating experience with limited time, money, and/or know-how: Once you’re in Juneau, the hiking is free and public transit will get you to the glacier. Shrimping will require a buddy with a boat.

Cape Flattery, Washington

• Why it’s special: In addition to being the stunning gateway to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and a culturally-significant location for the Makah Nation, Cape Flattery boasts the cleanest recorded air in the contiguous United States. It smells amazing.
• What I did: Hiking and camping at Cape Flattery and on Makah Nation land. Bike riding from nearby Port Angeles to Sequim.
• Ease of replicating experience with limited time, money, and/or know-how: Once you’re in the Puget Sound area, a car and camping equipment are the easiest ways to replicate the experience. Campsites are usually inexpensive (<$20). An extended bike trip is also a possibility.

 Arcata, California

Standing in the trees ahead, I felt miles away from the town. (Credit: Patricia Tillmann)

• Why it’s special: Look west to the ocean and east to giant redwoods. Even with homes in view, the sound of children playing in a nearby park, and students training to climb the giant trees, ambling through a stand of redwoods makes you feel as if you’re in the middle of a forest miles from anyone. Redwoods are magical, it’s as simple as that!
• What I did: A short walk through the city’s Redwood Park. I was in Arcata for work, convening a workshop of land and resource managers, conservation practitioners, and researchers to help inform climate change adaptation efforts in the region.
• Ease of replicating experience with limited time, money, and/or know-how: Arcata, like Juneau, can be expensive to get to. Once you’re there, Redwood Park is a short walk up the hill from town. Highway 101/1 would be a beautiful way to drive or bike here.

Skagit Valley, Washington

Myriad shades of red, yellow, and purple abound at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. (Credit: Patricia Tillmann, Hipstamatic prints)

• Why it’s special: Skagit Valley boasts some of the most fertile and beautiful farmland in Washington State. The gleam of Puget Sound is visible to the west, the Skagit River winds its way through the Valley from the mountains to the east, and every April, thousands of tulips decorate the landscape in a panoply of bright color.
• What I did: The Tulip Festival! Twice!
• Ease of replicating experience with limited time, money, and/or know-how: From the Puget Sound area, the Skagit Valley is accessible via car, public transit, and bike (depending on your starting point). There is a small entry fee for Roozengarde and Tulip Town, but you can tour the fields for free.

]]> http://blog.nwf.org/2012/06/captivated-by-a-landscape/feed/ 0 http://blog.nwf.org/2012/06/western-governors-tell-kids-to-connect-with-nature-and-nwf-agrees/ http://blog.nwf.org/2012/06/western-governors-tell-kids-to-connect-with-nature-and-nwf-agrees/#comments Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:07:03 +0000 Jim Adams http://blog.nwf.org/?p=60732 Read more >]]>

Jenny Lake in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. The Western Governors' Association recently met and released a report featuring recommendations on connecting more kids with the outdoors. (flickr | Yellowstone Gate)

“The Govs” (like “The Avengers”), led by chair Governor Chris Gregoire, were unanimous in their push to get kids outdoors.

As Colorado Governor  John Hickenlooper said: “[Y]ou can’t truly experience a state park or beautiful natural area until you actually go there and get dirty.”

We already know there are lots of good reasons to get kids off the couch.  It is better for their physical and mental health, and it makes them more likely to be conservationists when they grow up.

The Govs added another motivation: economics.  Tourism is a huge economic driver for the west.  If America raises a generation of kids who don’t care about the outdoors, our national and state parks, forests and recreational areas will get less use, and western communities will take a financial beating.

A Plan to Keep Outdoors Tourism Alive

The Govs aren’t just wagging fingers–they have a plan.  During the meeting, WGA released a report titled Connecting Kids and Families to the West’s Great Outdoors.  This report highlights the many ways that governors can reconnect people with nature.

Among other recommendations, the report encourages governors to create “Healthy Kids Outdoors Councils” to establish comprehensive statewide strategies for getting kids outdoors.  That strategy, which has already been implemented in Maryland and Kansas, will enable states to tap into resources from the federal Healthy Kids Outdoors Act once it passes in Congress.

The report also encourages Governors to create Children’s Outdoor Bills of Rights (the first such Bill was created in California), broker new partnerships, recognize youth leaders, promote the North American Conservation Education Strategy and promote fee-free days in parks.  At the meeting, several Western governors also agreed to participate in a pilot project that aims to increase park visits by creating a position of Youth Outdoor Recreation Outreach Coordinator in their offices.

NWF looks forward to working with WGA and our Western Governors to advance state policies that reconnect children with nature!  And we hope you will join us in supporting the Healthy Kids Outdoors Act in Congress, a bill that will support the “Healthy Kids Outdoors Councils” called for in the WGA report!