The Natural Land Institute is a member of “Leave No Child Inside,” which is an initiative of Chicago Wilderness.  Through this initiative, Chicago Wilderness hopes to raise public awareness of what Richard Louv calls “Nature Deficit Disorder” in his 2005 book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder.  In the book, Louv describes the accumulating evidence that shows that contact with nature is critical to a child’s proper physical, mental, and spiritual development.

The Natural Land Institute believes that connecting children and nature is a critical task.  Not only is it important for a child’s development, but it is also important for the future of conservation.  One of the best ways to assure that today’s children will grow up to be tomorrow’s conservation leaders is to give them positive experiences in nature at an early age.

To help save your family from nature deficit disorder, visit www.kidsoutside.info, the website of the Leave No Child Inside initiative.  You can also call Lucas Bradley, the Natural Land Institute’s Education Coordinator, for other wonderful experiences in nature.

Chicago Wilderness is a consortium of more than 200 public and private organizations working together to protect the Chicago region’s natural spaces, help conserve the diversity of plants and animals, and enrich local residents’ quality of life.

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