In the column below, our co-founder and author Richard Louv writes about the need for nature during COVID-19 and the growth of the children and nature movement—made possible by members and partners around the world. Our annual membership drive ends next week and we are so close to our goal. You can put us over the top and build the constituency for children and nature by becoming a member today!

Our Need for Nature in the Time of COVID 

RICHARD LOUV, THE NEW NATURE MOVEMENT JANUARY 2021

Join me in the movement to connect children and nature

Back in June, The New York Times ran this headline: “Nature Deficit Disorder is Really a Thing,” adding, “Children’s behavior may suffer from lack of access to outdoor space, a problem heightened by the pandemic.” The Times got that one right, and we appreciated it.

One of the pleasures for those of us who work with the Children & Nature Network (C&NN) is that we get to meet so many people whose lives and communities have been changed through our shared cause. 

We hear from parents who have witnessed the power of nature to help reduce their children’s symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder and, for some parents, help fight their own depression. We’re inspired by parents who have launched nature clubs to help families get a regular dose of “Vitamin N”—and of course, we meet children. We’ve seen their eyes light up in the presence of a mud puddle or a frog or a star.

Source – https://www.childrenandnature.org/resources/our-need-for-nature-in-the-time-of-covid-19/