New focus on getting kids and young people into the outdoors
By Linda Picone
For many of us, enjoyment of the outdoors started with childhood. Maybe it was the first time we slept in a tent and saw the stars without the interference of city lights. Maybe it was a parent or relative teaching us to fish up north. Maybe it was a school trip to a state park, or a week at a summer camp.
Those early experiences shaped our interest in and appreciation of the natural world around it-and, for many of us, that interest and appreciation led to a desire to protect the parks, trails, rivers and lakes that give us such pleasure.
But there is increasing concern in Minnesota and elsewhere that fewer young people are getting outdoors in a significant way. Research done by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in 2004-the first statewide outdoor recreation survey in roughly 20 years-showed a marked decrease in outdoor recreation by young adults. "When we got the data back, it really confirmed what some people were thinking might be happening," says Wayne Sames, coordinator of the DNR's State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2008-2012 (SCORP). "The survey was only of adults; what's happening with kids is a little bit more anecdotal, coming from multiple sources, like recreation programming people who actually observe who's showing up in the parks."
"We kind of have a consensus that this is real," says Sames. "So then the next question is how are we going to respond to that? How do public agencies respond? Parks? Schools? How should parents respond to it?"
SCORP sets the state's priorities for outdoor recreation for a five-year period. The latest SCORP has just one priority: Increase participation in outdoor recreation by all Minnesotans and visitors. The decreasing percentage of young adults and children is a particular concern. Dorian Grilley, executive director of Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota, was on the advisory committee for SCORP.
Naturalist Sara Grover, founder and coordinator of Project Get Outdoors in southeastern Minnesota, says many of the kids she works with are detached from nature. "They're very uncomfortable at first," she says. "They're either scared or they go ‘Ick! Why would I want to do that when I could be sitting on the couch and playing a video game?'" It takes several experiences, she says, but they do get excited.
Project Get Outdoors-known as Project GO-pairs young people with adult mentors to just get outside and enjoy themselves. "It's not environmental education," says Grover. "We're teaching them how to play outdoors. We're fishing, hiking, camping, even building forts. We want to introduce them to a lifelong enjoyment of the environment."
For Pat Arndt, in the DNR's Parks division, figuring out how to get more families and children into the outdoors is "what we are all about right now." The DNR has a number of initiatives designed to help bring more families into the state's parks, including:
- I Can Camp. The DNR is partner with REI to do three programs to help outdoor novices. "People don't know how to build a fire or set up a tent," says Arndt. "They don't know what do to with their kids out there." For a small fee and a state park permit, families can take part in either a daytime program at Fort Snelling State Park or an overnight program at William O'Brien or Lake Maria where they can learn all of the basics of camping in a hands-on way.
- Wireless internet access. As a pilot program, wireless internet access is offered at Lake Itasca State Park this summer. Arndt says that research last summer showed that one of the biggest barriers to people getting to state parks is time. "They have to get this work project done, or do a project for school. If they can take their computer with them, they can still be with the family, even if it isn't total immersion in the outdoors." The DNR is closely monitoring the program at Lake Itasca to see how many people use the internet option (only in areas where there are park buildings, not in the campgrounds or on the trails) and how it affects the outdoor experience for everyone.
- The Minnesota Geo-Caching History Challenge. Geo-caching is an adventure game in which participants use global positioning technology to hunt for outdoor treasures. "It was only four or five years ago that geo-caching was a concern to parks people," says Sames. "Now they're starting to see that rather than discouraging this kind of activity, they want to encourage it to bring a whole new generation of people into the park."
- More facilities and equipment. The DNR built about 25 additional cabins in the parks this year. "Families just seem to love them," says Arndt. State parks also have more rental equipment this year. Arndt says parks are exploring the possibility of adding even more rentals. Even those experienced in outdoor recreation sometimes want to rent equipment, Arndt says, because it will save them time.
- State Parks catalog. This year's catalog is a magazine-style, 72-page guide to more than 300 programs for families in Minnesota's state parks. The website also has been upgraded, with virtual tours of the park experience. "When we did focus groups, people were surprised that we did have bathrooms and flush toilets," says Arndt. "We want to get the word out there that you can have some of the creature comforts and still have an outdoor experience." For more information, go to www.mnstateparks.info.
"Kids aren't going to want to go to these areas unless they're exposed to them by their parents or teachers or somebody who makes that effort," Sames says. "How do you encourage that initiative? You hold their hands and say, ‘Come on, we'll show you everything.'"
Ramsey County's Tamarack Nature Center has created The Wild Place, a completely natural play area enclosed by a split-rail fence. Kids play there "the old-fashioned way," making forts, climbing trees and playing without man-made equipment or tools. The DNR is looking at The Wild Place as a possible model for play areas in state parks.
Why does it matter if kids experience the outdoors? Grover offers several important reasons:
- Physical health. The sedentary lifestyle of so many children and their parents is a contributing factor to the nation's obesity problem.
- Mental health. Being outdoors can help people feel calmer and help with focus; it may have a positive effect on attention-deficit disorder.
- Spirituality. "It's the way some people experience God," says Grover.
- Creativity. "Where I grew up, I had access to the outdoors and I spent time hiking and doing other activities," says Grover. "I get renewed going outdoors; it's important in sparking creativity."
- Developing stewardship. If today's children and young people don't come to care about the outdoors, who will protect that outdoors in the future?
*This article was originally published in the Summer 2008 issue of Minnesota Trails magazine.