Research shows that children who have consistent contact with natural land throughout their childhood, guided by environmentally aware mentors, are likely to become environmentally aware and responsible citizens. All of the Center’s programs — from our award-winning Neighborhood Environmental Education Project (NEEP) to our fun-filled Urban Adventures programs — are designed with this research in mind.
In the book The Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, Richard Louv outlines the role of nature in child development. His research directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today’s wired generation to some of the most disturbing childhood trends, such as the rises in obesity, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and depression. The Center’s education program’s objective is to counteract these trends by offering quality, consistent hands-on science instruction to neighborhood schools in a rich outdoor setting.
