Parks see spread of 'nature deficit disorder'

[YankeyMCC]

(snip)
Visits are down at almost all national parks, even at Yosemite, notorious for summertime crowds and traffic jams. Meanwhile, most of the 390 properties in the park system are begging for business.
(snip)

(snip)
A Nature Conservancy study funded by the National Science Foundation and released last July concluded the drop in national park visits was connected to the popularity of video games, hand-held devices, the Internet, and other electronic media.

Author Richard Louv writes of a "nature deficit disorder" and suggests parental fears about kidnapping and crime are keeping kids off neighborhood streets and out of parks.

"We're talking about a generation that's being raised under virtual house arrest," said Louv, whose 2005 book, "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder," is being used as a study guide at some national parks.
(snip)

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/12/03/parks_see_spread_of_nature_deficit_disorder/

Why did I post this? Why is it important? Because of the statement I highlighted. We need to ensure the upcoming generation identifies with the land they live on, that they understand and have a respect for the environment. We need to do this more than ever since we're handing over the ecological crisis to them.

[fasttense]

1. Parks use to be a low cost entertainment

Now with the cost of gas and admission fees it can be very costly to visit.

[NC_Nurse]

2. My kids love the outdoors.

We went on many trips to national parks and did a lot of camping when they were young.
Now, we just don't have the time or money. This year I used all my vacation time visiting
elderly relatives and getting my son ready for college, moving my daughter into an apartment.
Our expenses are so high and with wages not keeping up - it's just cheaper to stay home. I'm always
"on call" in case someone in the family gets sick or needs help too, so I hate to take much other time off.

I really miss it though....:-(

[lapfog_1]

3. maybe only 100 years away from "Silent Running" - n/t

[dysfunctional press]

6. "silent Running" could not happen...

a planet without vegetation could not survive, let alone support human/animal life.

[Deja Q]

4. Except this generation isn't feeling intimidated by their own peers.

They like to play their games together.

[theophilus]

5. Saving our Parks is an important matter. We must stay connected

to Nature. Once "the right folks" occupy the Whitehouse then funding needs to be pulled from the Military Industrial Complex and placed in projects like our National Parks. The Parks need to be visibly safe, fun, and inexpensive to visit.........for the good of the whole planetary ecosystem. This ideal of a consumer society sitting in the dark and plugged in to fantasy needs to be tempered with an appreciation of the true wonder and excitement that is Natural History. If we fail in this we die a slow (but not THAT slow) death. IMHO.

[Quantess]

7. Humans are to the earth, as what termites are to a house.