Southwest Washington to collaborate with cities to connect more children in the region to nature and green spaces
Lower Columbia Nature Network to join national initiative to improve children’s health and wellbeing through regular access to the outdoors
Children from southwest Washington will soon have better access to outdoor recreation and learning opportunities. Connecting children to nature is proven to improve children’s health and wellbeing and enhance academic achievement. Joining an initiative that involves more than 40 cities nationwide, several southwest Washington cities will develop policies, programs, and infrastructure to connect more children to nature more equitably.
Southwest Washington is one of five state and regional organizations nationwide that will receive technical assistance and grant funding through Cities Connecting Children to Nature (CCCN), a joint initiative of the National League of Cities and the Children & Nature Network, to support local communities to increase equitable access to nature. Through this new program, CCCN will tap into the potential of state/ regional groups to work closely with city governments to leverage funding, advance policies and share knowledge to bring nature’s benefits to more children, particularly children of color and those from low-income communities.
Research shows that spending time in nature is critical for children’s healthy development. And while time outdoors benefits all children, access to nature has the greatest positive impact on marginalized youth and those in poverty. This is why the effort will prioritize communities where children lack access to parks and greenspace and will engage organizations that represent communities underrepresented in the outdoors.
Jane Tesner Kleiner, project manager said, "It’s great that there is now research to back up what we have seen when kids spend time in nature.....they love it! Kids thrive when they have unstructured play time, digging in dirt, building worm huts, collecting flowers, marveling at caterpillars, building with natural materials, hopping on logs and jumping in puddles. We see their ownership at schools and local parks that have more nature, where they can help plant trees, bury flower bulbs and rake up leaves. This becomes more important as our local residential yards get smaller, kids have lots of scheduled activities and have less opportunity to roam freely around their neighborhoods. It is important to rethink our local public spaces to add more nature so that kids can easily access nature close to home."
During the last year, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of access to safe, outdoor greenspaces within walking distance of resident’s homes. Nature has become more critical than ever. These awardees bring together three to five cities in the region to collaborate on equitable nature connections. Cities in the region join a growing network of CCCN cities connecting children to nature in green schoolyards, early childhood settings, libraries, and natural play areas in parks.
A team that includes Jane Tesner Kleiner of Nature Play Designs and Michelle Sanow of Michelle Sanow Consulting will evaluate existing regional assets, resources, best practices and leadership capacity in order to formulate a regional/state strategy in the region to increase equitable access to nature. The 26-month engagement includes technical assistance from CCCN national experts, as well as grant funding, to support the region in engaging municipal leaders to implement nature connection strategies.
Communications manager Michelle Sanow said, “This work is so important. While many kids have opportunities to access nature, so many more don’t, and the gap is wide. We live in such a nature-rich area and while some are out hiking, fishing, camping, and going on walks along local nature trails with their families, some haven’t experienced that. Some may never hike Silver Star Mountain but we want to make sure people have a place to start that feels safe and welcoming. We want them to know there are amazing trails tucked right inside their cities and towns and that nature can be experienced just right outside their door. Our hope is that once they start experiencing the positive effects of exposure to nature it will prompt more exploration. We want to cultivate life-long lovers of nature.”
In choosing southwest Washington to be part of the initiative, CCCN will test the potential of using the power of the Lower Columbia Nature Network to support city leaders in the region to prioritize and implement ways to get children outside and in green spaces regularly and more often.
“CCCN is excited to collaborate with Lower Columbia Nature Network, because it gives us an opportunity to couple grassroots momentum with municipal leadership,” said Monica Lopez Magee, Senior Vice President of Cities and Community Engagement.
They are joined by the following organizations who also see promise in collaborating with city leaders in their region to create equitable access to nature: Los Angeles STEM Collective, Regional Plan Association, Texas Children in Nature Network, UTAH Office of Outdoor Recreation, and Western Reserve Land Conservancy.
About Cities Connecting Children to Nature (CCCN)
Longstanding systems of inequity have influenced the design and distribution of green spaces. Cities Connecting Children to Nature, a joint initiative of the National League of Cities and the Children & Nature Network, with funding from The JPB Foundation, supports municipal leaders and their community partners in shifting planning, policies and programs to connect children to the benefits of nature more often and more equitably.
About the National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education & Families (YEF Institute)
The YEF Institute at the National League of Cities is the go-to place for city leaders seeking to improve outcomes for children and families. With expertise in early childhood success, education & expanded learning, promoting a culture of health, youth and young adult connections, and economic opportunity and financial empowerment, the YEF Institute reaches cities of all sizes and brings together local leaders to develop strategies via technical assistance projects, peer learning networks, leadership academies, and Mayors’ Institutes. Learn more at nlc.org/iyef.
About the Children & Nature Network (C&NN)
The Children & Nature Network (C&NN) believes that nature makes children healthier, happier and smarter. C&NN is a US-based non-profit organization leading a global movement to increase equitable access to nature so that children—and natural places—can thrive. C&NN achieves its mission by investing in leaders and communities through sharing evidence-based resources, scaling innovative solutions, and driving policy change. Learn more at childrenandnature.org.
Additional Contacts:
Lower Columbia Nature Network
Michelle Sanow, communications manager
hello@lowercolumbianaturenetwork.org
360.360.0604
National League of Cities (NLC)
Josh Falk, CCCN Program Manager
falk@nlc.org
Children & Nature Network (C&NN)
Monica Lopez-Magee, Senior Vice President, Cities and Community Engagement
monica@childrenandnature.org
512-658-9622
