May 2019 Coffee & Discussion Minutes

Topic: Challenges and Solutions to Engaging Older Youth with Nature
Location: Bolingbrook Park District: Hidden Oaks Nature Center, Bolingbrook, IL
SUMMARY:

Moderator: Fatima Al-Nurridin
NCH2 Coffee and Discussion Coordinator: Barb Kreski (barb@barbkreski.com). Please contact Barb if you are interested in hosting a Coffee in the future.  
 
Challenges: 

• For some, fear re: aspects of nature is very real and must be respected and acknowledged before moving on
• Cell phone “addiction’
• Sense of activity being mandatory or a requirement
• Teachers must buy in before they can lead their students
  • Teachers are challenged by time constraints
  • School-based activities must be tied to educational standards
• Vandalism, use of nature areas during unauthorized times (night)

 
Ideas/Solutions

• Choose words carefully to invite youth to participate
• Provide as few rules as possible in order to assure safety, then emphasize freedom in environment
• “Sneak” science concepts into play
• If a potential “troublemaker’ is identified, proactively enlist that person as a leader or assistant
• Break down large groups into sub-groups of about 5 with a participant/leader of each
• Emphasize real work vs make work; show respect and care
• Relate caring for environment to caring for one’s own room or home
• Teachers can offer extra credit for Forest Therapy walk
• Create professional development offerings that earn CEUs for teachers, therapists and others
• For teachers: phenomenon-based learning and story-lining are concepts that lend themselves to incorporating nature in curriculum

• Dealing with minor vandalism, unauthorized use:
  • Channel interest: set up graffiti board
  • Institute night programs
  • Provide opportunities for acceptable, autonomous use of location (tasks; areas; times when use is OK)
  • Provide a safe outlet as alternative to trauma at home
  • Involve and reflect the community
  • Encourage repeat participation over time so that individuals can see transformation

• Harness technology
  • Use phone to take photos AND provide a further use/display of those photos
    • Participants create slide show of photos, either individually or as a group project; can send photos to leader/teacher to create the slide show; include ID crediting photographer
    • Blast selfies identifying participant in relationship to nature or element of natural environment
    • Have a photo contest or competition
  • Use App:  https://www.inaturalist.org/

• Encourage youth participation into adulthood
  • Provide mentorship role
  • Create intergenerational connections
  • Pair “Junior” steward with “Senior” steward
  • Provide system to count volunteer hours for required community service hours for HS students

• Items linking past and future discussions
  • Alison Mitch, physical therapist, has provided a presentation re: benefits of nature to Illinois PT Association.  This type of presentation was discussed in February as a way of increasing understanding and buy-in among medical professionals.
  • Report re: ParkRxAmerica
    • There currently is not enough information on the ParkRxAmerica.org website for Illinois locations to make it attractive to prescribers.
      • Note added after 5/15/2019: Forest Preserves of Cook County is working with ParkRxAmerica to upgrade the quality of the information about FPCC sites on ParkRxAmerica.org.
    • Jan Roehll has facilitated project fleshing out info for DuPage County
  • Consider for next NCH2 symposium: presentations from nature-based schools such as Prairie Crossing and Waters School (CPS)

• To continue discussion and develop action items
  • Please share ideas and questions with Sue Gasper (sue.gasper@gmail.com) and Kathleen Skoller (kathleen@forestimmersion.com). Sue and Kathleen are co-chairs of the Education Working Group. 

• Next NCH2 Coffee and Discussion:
  • When:  July 30, 2019, 8:30 – 10:30 AM
  • Where:  The Farm on Ogden, 3555 Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL 60623

 
Resources:
Mighty Acorns: https://www.mightyacorns.org/
Heritage Corridor: http://www.heritagecorridorcvb.com/Home
I naturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/
Plant ID group on Facebook: There are multiple groups, here is the name of one and its FB ID.  Plant identification and discussion, https://www.facebook.com/groups/623997204362467/
Mushroom ID on Facebook: There are multiple groups, here is the name of one and its FB ID. The Mushroom Identification Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/MushroomIdentification/permalink/1030980140287969
Wellness in the Woods http://fpdcc.com/wellness-in-the-woods/
The Resiliency Institute: http://www.theresiliencyinstitute.net/
Birds in My Neighborhood: https://www.openlands.org/schools-and-gardens/birds-in-my-neighborhood/
Teacher resources: https://www.openlands.org/schools-and-gardens/teacher-resources/
Major Taylor Trail: https://www.traillink.com/trail/major-taylor-trail/