The importance of identifying with nature , McConnell says is , “ when you can identify with something , you care about it . And when you care about it , you want to see it protected and you ’ ll fight for it .”
COMMUNITY
The importance of identifying with nature , McConnell says is , “ when you can identify with something , you care about it . And when you care about it , you want to see it protected and you ’ ll fight for it .”
Nature deficit For many reasons , modern American children spend little time outdoors and rarely enjoy free play . This is a problem the Nature Conservancy strives to solve . Letting kids take ownership of a piece of nature just might help .
Children ’ s lives are fully scheduled , leaving little unstructured time for exploration of the outdoors . Then there are electronic devices . Pediatricians recommend that kids between the ages of 8 and 16 spend no more than 2 hours viewing electronic screens ( smartphones , tablets , computers , etc .) per day . Unfortunately , most kids spend more than the two-hour daily limit . According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study , kids are spending more than 40 hours a week on their devices — more than a full-time job !
These changes in how children spend their time have been so dramatic that health and social scientists are studying the benefits of nature , for children and adults alike . Research is showing that the effects of being so plugged in and penned-in include childhood obesity , nearsightedness , decreased family time , and lack of knowledge about the natural world . According to the Solutions Journal , young children can recognize over 1,000 corporate logos , but few can identify more than a handful of local plant or animal species .
Richard Louv , author of Last Child in the Woods and co-founder of the Children & Nature Network , coined the term “ nature deficit disorder ” to describe the lack of time in nature and the problems that result when kids are not connected to nature .
One Hoosier ’ s Vision Several years ago , Mary McConnell , state director at The Nature Conservancy , found herself wondering about the future of conservation in Indiana . With kids being far more interested in technology and gadgets than in the outdoors , where would the next generation of conservationists come from ? Never one to shy away from a daunting project , McConnell set in motion one of the most out-of-the-box projects in the chapter ’ s history . McConnell shared her vision at a 2015 TedX Indianapolis presentation of “ a world where the next big global environmental movement is led by children ” On the importance of identifying with nature , Mc- Connell says , “ When you can identify with something , you care about it . And when you care about it , you want to see it protected , and you ’ ll fight for it .”
What is one thing we can we do to get kids excited about nature ? The answer to that question is the innovative and first-of-its-kind Children of Indiana Nature Park . With Indiana ’ s First Lady and scores of Hoosier kids in attendance , the Children of Indiana Nature Park kick-off was held in June of 2016 . The Park , a partnership between The Nature Conservancy , Cope Environmental Center , the Indiana Department of Natural Resources , and the Indiana Department of Education , is a gift of nature to our younger generation . The goal is for young Hoosiers to build a personal connection with nature , and ultimately to inspire the desire to care for our precious lands and waters .
Each K-12 student in Indiana now has the opportunity to visit www . ilovemyland . org and claim their personal “ Nature IN-Deed ,” with a unique geographic coordinate to their very own spot in the Children of Indiana Nature Park . The Park is located in Centerville on the property of the Cope Environmental Center ( near Richmond in Wayne County ). Children can visit their spot in the Park virtually on the website using geographic coordinates and information from their deed , or by visiting
INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 21