Last Child in the Woods

In his groundbreaking work about the staggering divide between children and the outdoors, journalist and child advocate Richard Louv directly links the absence of nature in the lives of today's wired generatoin to some of the most disturbing childhood trends: the rise in obesity, attention disorders, and depression. This is the first book to bring together a body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional helath of children and adults. More than just raising an alarm, Louv offers practical solutions to heal the broken bond.

Richard Louv is a journalist and the author of ten books, including Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, The Nature Principle, and Vitamin N. Translated into twenty languages, his books have helped launch an international movement to connect children, families, and communities to nature. He is cofounder and chair emeritus of the nonprofit Children & Nature Network, which supports a new nature movement. Louv has written for the New York Times, Outside magazine, Orion Magazine, Parents, and many other publications. He appears regularly on national radio and TV, and lectures throughout the world. In 2008, he was awarded the Audubon Medal. Prior recipients have included Rachel Carson, E. O. Wilson, President Jimmy Carter, and Sir David Attenborough.

Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 Part I : The New Relationship Between Children and Nature 1. Gifts of Nature . . . . 7 2. The Third Frontier . . . . . . 15 3. The Criminalization of Natural Play . . . . . 27 Part II:Why the Young (and the Rest of Us) Need Nature 4. Climbing the Tree of Health . .. 39 5. A Life of the Senses: Nature vs. the Know-It-All State of Mind . . . . . 54 6. The “Eighth Intelligence” . . . 70 7. The Genius of Childhood: How Nature Nurtures Creativity . . .. 85 8. Nature-Deficit Disorder and the Restorative Environment . . . 98 Part III: The Best of Intentions: Why Johnnie and Jeannie Don’t Play Outside Anymore 9. Time and Fear .. . . 115 10. The Bogeyman Syndrome Redux . . . . . 123 11. Don’t Know Much About Natural History: Education as a Barrier to Nature .. 132 12. Where Will Future Stewards of Nature Come From? . . . 145 Part IV: The Nature-Child Reunion 13. Bringing Nature Home . . . 161 14. Scared Smart: Facing the Bogeyman . . . . 176 15. Telling Turtle Tales: Using Nature as a Moral Teacher . 187 Part V: The Jungle Blackboard 16. Natural School Reform . . . 201 17. Camp Revival . . . 223 Part VI: Wonder Land: Opening the Fourth Frontier 18. The Education of Judge Thatcher: Decriminalizing Natural Play . .. 233 19. Cities Gone Wild . .. 239 20. Where the Wild Things Will Be: A New Back-to-the-Land Movement . . . . 265 Part VII: To Be Amazed 21. The Spiritual Necessity of Nature for the Young . . . . . . 285 22. Fire and Fermentation: Building a Movement . . . . 301 23. While It Lasts . . . . 309 Notes 311 Suggested Reading 321 Index 325