Saturday, September 15, 2012

Hope in Kids' Enthusiasm


Seeing kids truly interested in nature is very inspiring. I have had several opportunities to see this recently; first at a boys summer camp in Maine at which I volunteered and second during my new position as hut and summit caretaker on Mt. Mansfield. One of the most popular activities at the camp was Ranger Trail where the kids learned birds, flowers, trees, outdoor safety and ethics, and more. This was my favorite activity to teach because of the kids’ enthusiasm. Seeing a 10-year old running up to me saying, “Can I learn my birds today?” made me smile every time.

It was even more amazing to see how they retained this information outside of camp when I happened to meet one of my campers on Mt. Mansfield. He remembered some of the plants and asked me about new ones. But even more inspiring, I watched him remind his family to pick up everything they brought (“Remember Leave No Trace, Dad!”). If kids are reminding their parents of these ideas and practices, then there is certainly hope for protecting our environment.

Even just seeing the number of kids outside hiking and excited about it is encouraging. My favorite from my job so far was a 4-year old, who, as soon as he showed up at the hut at 8:30 pm, asked his dad, “Can we stay four nights?” I wish everyone was this excited to be outdoors and appreciative of the natural areas we have.
               
These kids don’t understand everything that’s going on in the environment, and nobody fully does, but appreciating and loving it is the best start we can make towards its protection. 

(written 9/11/12 on Mansfield)

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