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A convenient truth how our past can save the future.

Article Excerpt
What an opportunity! Camps began in the late 1800s as a way to connect kids with nature. The first camps introduced boys to hiking, fishing, and adventure in the wilderness. Over the years "camp" has changed. Camps today include a wide variety of experiences like sports, education, and recreational skill development in both day and resident settings. They may offer fun and creative programs, but "camp" has strayed far from its roots. The outdoor environment that once inspired the camp movement slipped from our sight as we focused on developing new programs. Through our neglect and the neglect of many others, that natural environment has now deteriorated to a point we can no longer afford to ignore. It is our responsibility and yes, our incredible opportunity, to change that.

As an industry, we have remarkable reach and potential impact. The American Camp Association (ACA) estimates that over ten million children attend camp annually, and there are approximately 12,000 camps nationwide. That is a lot of influence. In 2006, ACA found that 75 percent of camps offered new programs. In proposing that we go back to our roots, I am not suggesting that we discontinue Magic, Weight Loss, Rocketry, and other innovative programs to focus just on the environment. We need to do both. Camps stay relevant by keeping up with national trends and interests. And bringing nature back to the heart of camp does not prevent us from offering specialized programming. The truth is that a substantial effort to refocus on the environment will strengthen all of our programs. The timing has never been better for camps to develop a culture of environmental stewardship, not only to respect our past, but also to protect our future.

Why It Is Important to Have Kids in Nature

Richard Louv sparked a growing concern about the disconnect between children and the natural world in his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. He points out that as parents we are afraid to let our kids explore like we did when we were young. He describes parental fear of traffic, strangers, crime, and even nature itself as the reasons that we separate our kids from the many benefits of spending time with nature. The result is growing childhood obesity, disease, ADD, and depression. Louv makes compelling connections between this negative trend and the absence of meaningful and consistent outdoor experiences. Hey! Camps are in the perfect position to do something about this disconnect! Camps can be a catalyst for change!

Taking Responsibility

If the camp industry embraces stewardship and takes responsibility for the outdoor environment that sparked our industry in the first place, we will end up with stronger and more meaningful programs that have a life-changing impact on our campers. It does not take much. Recently, I helped chaperone a field trip to an aquarium for my...

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