Author Richard Louv presenting at Michigan State University, Lansing, MI. Photo Credit: Heather Rawlings, USFWS.

On October 22, 2008, Alpena National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (NFWCO) biologists Anjanette Bowen, Heather Rawlings, and Andrea Ania attended a special presentation by nationally acclaimed author Richard Louv.  The event was held at Michigan State University and hosted by the Kalamazoo Nature Center.  Louv used examples from his book, “Last Child in the Woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder” to illustrate how children benefit mentally and physically from exposure to nature.  The event was well attended (1,000+ people), which can be attributed to the galvanizing effect his book has had on educators, parents, health care providers, and natural resource professionals. 

The Alpena NFWCO is continuing to develop their Children and Nature program with Wilson Elementary School.  This program involves class visits, sharing knowledge about nature and experiences in nature, and providing access to nature on the school property through a native butterfly garden.  Over time, the Alpena NFWCO will continue to work with Wilson School to expand the Children and Nature program. 

For more information on the growing body of knowledge and opportunities to reconnect children to nature visit:  Michigan No Child Left Inside Coalition (http://www.naturecenter.org/Home/MichiganNCLICoalition/tabid/426/Default.aspx) and the Children and Nature Network (http://www.childrenandnature.org/).