Media & Culture | Review

Burlington Free Press – December 06, 2009

Vermont Filmmaker Explores Positive Influence of Nature

By Joel Banner Baird
Vermont filmmaker Camilla Rockwell’s new documentary explores how time spent in nature influences child health and development, and suggests ways that adults can revive young people's appetite for the outdoors. As Rockwell tells the Burlington Free Press, she was inspired to create the film after reading Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods.

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• [>] Read the article.
• [>] Watch a trailer for the movie.

National | Media & Culture | Resource

Vancouver Sun – September 22, 2009

Ken Burns National Parks Documentary Series Premieres on PBS

By Alex Strachan
The National Park’s: America’s Best Idea, a six-night documentary series by acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns, airs on PBS starting September 27. Burns hopes the series will encourage more city dwellers and rural residents alike to visit their national parks and to revisit that part of them that resides in nature. [+]

• [>] Read the article.

Education | Health | Media & Culture

CBS News – August 06, 2009

CBS Puts Spotlight on Nature-Deficit Disorder

Watch CBS Videos Online


Jonathan Dorn, editor-in-chief of Backpacker magazine, made a recent appearance on The Early Show to discusses the best places in the country for raising an outdoor kid. In doing so, Dorn provided a succinct definition of nature-deficit disorder and offered advice on how city dwellers can help their children connect with nature. [+]

• [>] Watch the video.

Leadership

The Passing of Thomas Berry

On June 1, 2009, Thomas Berry, whose philosophy helped shape the way we perceive the human relationship with nature, died. He was a great supporter of our work, and served on the C&NN advisory board. Andrew Revkin of the New York Times wrote a perceptive and sensitive obituary. In addition, Revkin wrote a wonderful entry about the remarkable Berry legacy on his Dot Earth blog for the Times. Both pieces include a video clip of a 2006 interview with Berry. We hope you’ll read Revkin's story and blog, and watch the inspiring video. We believe that Berry will be remembered as one of the great thinkers of the 20th century, and we will miss him. Visit our own C&NN blog to read an updated essay about Thomas Berry by C&NN Chairman Richard Louv.

• [>] Read the Times obituary.
• [>] Read the Dot Earth blog.

Health

New York Times – April 15, 2009

New York Times: The Case for Natural Happiness

By Paul Bloom

Psychologist Paul Bloom, writing in the New York Times Magazine, offers a unique perspective on why maintaining a connection with nature is crucial for people. “Real natural habitats provide significant sources of pleasure for modern humans,” he writes. “We intuitively grasp this, and this knowledge underlies the anxiety that we feel about nature’s loss.” [+]

Media & Culture

The Canadian Press – December 09, 2008

Removal of Nature Words from Dictionary Causes Uproar

A decision by the publisher of the Oxford Junior Dictionary to replace words like “beaver” and “dandelion” with “blog” and “MP3 player” has prompted some to react with outrage. As noted wildlife artist and conservationist Robert Bateman observed, “If you can’t name things, how can you love them? And if you don't love them, then you’re not going to care a hoot about protecting them or voting for issues that would protect them.” [+]

• [>] B stands for blog, not beaver by JOSH WINGROVE

Media & Culture

QUEST series focuses on Nature Deficit Disorder

On May 12, San Francisco's KQED Public Television series QUEST aired this special report on why we need nature, and efforts to encourage children to play outdoors. [+]

• [>] KQED series QUEST