The Foxden

Welcome to a sample issue of The FoxDen,
Wilderness Awareness School's free monthly e-newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

For these stories, course details, and more, visit www.WildernessAwareness.org


Last Child in the Woods by Richard LouvLast Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

"Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart." - Richard Louv

A compelling new book by Richard Louv has helped focus national attention on the issue of young people's connections to nature. Our staff likes the book enough that we now carry it in our on-line store.

John Chilkotowky, Youth Programs Director at Wilderness Awareness School, reviewed the book in the forthcoming issue of Foxprint (our newsletter for members/donors). The following is excerpted from his review:

"In Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv weaves many strands of current scientific research as well as educational and personal experiences together into quite a journey. As we read, we travel through outrage and despair at the current disconnection between youth and nature, the health implications, and the reasons it happened in the first place.

Our hope is restored through examples of how we can take part in reshaping our culture to understand and value the creative, cognitive and restorative properties of nature and provide all children access to the natural world.

Richard Louv presents a clear vision of our current challenges, as well as a future that will have nature as a respected and essential component of healthy individuals, families and communities everywhere. I look forward to that future, and am heartened by the knowledge that we are doing everything we can to help bring it about here at Wilderness Awareness School."

You can buy the book from us (and your purchase helps support our work!)

Want to hear more? NPR's Morning Edition interviewed Louv back in May.
Click Here to listen to that story...


Mystery photo by HankWhat's Happening Here? ...September's Natural Mystery

Thanks to Hank, a FoxDen reader and Kamana graduate from Ohio, for the following natural mystery photo and story! (Want to share your own mystery photo in the FoxDen? Email us)

On August 11 Hank wrote: "I took these pictures of what appears to be egg sacks (while working on the tree I accidentally grabbed them and they mashed a gooey mess) on the bark of a Magnolia tree in East-Central Ohio. The wasps were busy acting as caretakers.

All the wasps around here make hanging nests in the corners of buildings along the roof line. These mystery masses are hanging 1-3' off the ground. There is a maple tree growing right next to this one (actually touching it) and there aren't any "egg sacks" on it or any other tree. The larger trunks don't have them either. The Magnolia stems the mystery masses are on are about the size of your finger."

What do you think is going on? (When this FoxDen issue was originally emailed, the first correct answer submitted won their choice of free Wilderness Awareness School T-shirt!)




Fall programsFall Courses to help heal your nature-deficit

We are pleased to offer a diverse array of courses for youth and adults this Fall in the Puget Sound Region that can help you and other people in your life heal your nature-deficit.

(And if you don't live in the Puget Sound region, you should know about our home-study Kamana Naturalist Training Program, or plan now to attend one of our week-long expeditions or workshops next summer...)

Puget Sound Adult Courses
Intro. to Survival, New 'Storytelling Nights,' Wilderness Living Training Series, Tracking Club, and more...

Youth & Family Courses
Monthly Courses, Family Courses (Seeing through the Eyes of a Cougar; Fire by Friction, etc.), Teen Adventure Overnights...






Whose Planet Is It, Anyway? Upcoming panel discussion in Seattle...

Whose Planet is it Anyway?Wilderness Awareness School is a "community partner" for the following event, helping spread the word...

Whose Planet Is It, Anyway?
Strategies for a Green Future
Saturday, September 24, 2005
8:00 pm, Paramount Theatre, Seattle



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Visit our website to see new course information and more: http://www.WildernessAwareness.org