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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