Children Outdoors — Building Bridges

  • Julio Bermejo, Assistant Public Affairs Officer, Angeles National Forest
A photo of several kids standing on a shoreline near a pier with fishing poles dangling in the water.

Children practice their fishing skills during "Children Outdoors!", using equipment provided by United Anglers of Southern California.

A photo of several young people on a trail led by a ranger in uniform.

National Park Service Ranger and Botanist Antonio Solorio, right, leads a group of kids on a nature walk.

As part of the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights initiative, the Forest Service joined the National Park Service, Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy and others to host “Children Outdoors!,” a day of outdoor activities for kids on Oct. 11, 2008, at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale, Calif.

The Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights is a project of the California Roundtable on Recreation, Parks and Tourism and is an effort to address concerns about youth detachment from outdoor activities, lack of physical exercise and increased health risks. The Forest Service is a member of the Roundtable and helped develop the initiative.

Concerned that children are less engaged with the outside world today, Region 5's Angeles National Forest and the Southern California Consortium, an environmental education, outreach and recruitment program, are working with other agencies and organizations to change this situation and encourage kids to once again go out and play.

Jody Noiron, supervisor of the Angeles National Forest , said the event was an example of the benefits that can be delivered through cooperative efforts between government and community-based organizations.

“‘Children Outdoors!' and similar efforts help the Forest Service and other organizations achieve those goals we share and that deliver tremendous benefits to our communities and the nation, benefits such as offering opportunities for outdoor recreation and exposing children and adults to America 's great open spaces,” she said.

The bill of rights recommends a list of 10 fundamental experiences that every child in California should experience before entering high school. According to the initiative, every child should have opportunities to celebrate their heritage, play in a safe place, discover California's past, splash in the water, learn to swim, camp under the stars, play on a team, explore nature, follow a trail and catch a fish.

Nearly 150 children and their parents representing a number of local community groups participated in “Children Outdoors!” During a day led by trained staff and volunteers, the kids participated in activities directly linked to the outdoor bill of rights. These included panning for gold and exploring California 's multicultural heritage, fishing and playing paddleboard water polo, exploring the area's trails on foot and by bicycle, learning about wildlife through a mobile nature center, rock climbing and camping.

Fabian Garcia, director of the Forest Service's Southern California Consortium, said such events are a key element to Forest Service efforts to engage America 's urban communities, where a large majority of the nation's population is found.

“‘Children Outdoors!' was a great success, helping to build bridges between Southern California's diverse community and the opportunities for recreation and exploration available in our local national forests and other open spaces,” he said.