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Forest Service Mobilizes Kids For Conservation
USDA Forest Service - April 24, 2008
WASHINGTON D.C. - The U.S. Forest Service today awarded a
half-million dollars in matching funds to mobilize our nation's most
important conservation resource: kids. The funds will be used to get more
kids outside, up close and personal with nature so they can have fun, get
dirty, get healthy and learn!
Gail Kimbell, Chief of the Forest Service, announced awards to 16 Forest
Service project leaders and their partners from around the country. The
awards plus matching funds by partners will top $2 million. Partners in
these projects represent schools, environmental and youth non-profit
organizations, Native American Tribes, and other federal, state and local
governments. The projects will help urban and rural children connect to
the land in a hands-on way.
"The Forest Service and its partners want to help kids understand the
natural world and to know how important wildlands are to their quality of
life. By getting outdoors, kids will learn that forests and rangelands
provide clean air, clean water and a multitude of goods and services for
their benefit and for the benefit of future generations, and learn the
conservation of these lands is important. These projects will encourage
kids to experience the great outdoors, whether it is a remote mountain
wilderness or a spot of nature in the heart of a city," said Chief Kimbell.
More than 270 proposals were considered for the awards. The Forest Service
sought proposals focused on underserved and urban youth; recreation and
environmental stewardship; solid, broad-based partnerships; and innovative
techniques. Funding will help with costs such as transportation, supplies,
tools and safety equipment to ensure a healthy learning experience. While
many of the projects will take place on national forests, others will bring
nature to children in their schoolyards and community green spaces.
The Forest Service has a long history of working with teachers, youth
groups and others educating children about the natural environment. This
year's funding for More Kids in the Woods continues that tradition by
helping children be better prepared in the future to care for the land as
they cope with climate change, demographic changes, and increasing demands
for clean air, clean water and other benefits from nature.
The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity and
productivity of the Nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of
present and future generations.
For more information on the 16 projects:
http://www.fs.fed.us/kidsclimatechange/kidsprojects.shtml
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