Why Do We Need Teens To Trails?

Today’s teens are over stressed & over committed impacting both their mental and physical health.  Nearly 8 million children suffer from mental disorders.  Teen suicides are increasing.  There is an epidemic of childhood obesity.  Forty percent show early signs of heart and circulation problems.  Children are choosing video games, television, and surfing the web over visiting parks and being outside.*  Our teens are suffering from Nature-Deficit Disorder, a descriptive phrase coined to help sound a warning about this growing trend. **

The idea that natural landscapes can be therapeutic is an ancient one.  In tests, people respond strongly and positively to open, grassy landscapes, scattered stands of trees, meadows, water, winding trails, and elevated views.  Contact with nature nurtures creativity and wonder, which is as important to children as good nutrition and adequate sleep.

What we need to do ...

We need to acknowledge the importance of nature in our lives.  “Unstructured” time spent in the out-of-doors is not just leisure time -- it’s an essential investment in our children’s health.  We need to help teens get outside, so they can begin to enter nature through doors of their own creation.

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*   Read about The Nature Conservancy-funded study published in the Journal of
 Environmental Management, July 2006.