"Nature deficit disorder"

I recently read a wonderful book by Richard Louv entitled, "Last Child in the Woods." The book delves into the notion that a majority of today's children are suffering from a modern-day deficiency that he terms "nature deficit disorder."

The book inspired me to attempt to engage my 6-year old son in journaling about nature. In the quest to become more educated on the natural world around us, I have been searching high and low for a taxonomic reference book on natural history. For anybody who grew up in the 20th century, you may remember this type of education from the old school books - you know: kingdom, phyla, order, . . . Well, in my quest for the perfect book to learn and to share knowledge about the natural world, I have discovered that this is no longer the knowledge du jour. This absence of knowledge and deficiency of books on this vast body of knowledge begs the question, if today's students are not learning natural history, are we really teaching them the information that will bring them closer to the natural world?

I am afraid that I am losing this knowledge. While reading a book about mushrooms, I couldn't recall where mushrooms fit in the taxonomic family tree of life. Are they a plant, or an animal? Come to find out, they are somewhere in between. However, I would not have discerned this fact absent the reading of a 400-page book on mycelium. In our obsession with specialization and intense scrutiny of life at the molecular and biochemical level, are we missing the broader picture of life as we know it, or used to know it? Is the loss of knowledge of taxonomy and where animals, plants, bacteria and fungi fit in the grand scheme of the natural world being lost? I fear that my son may grow up without really knowing where certain organisms fit and what differentiates them from their brethren in the web of life.

As I was perused both the Barnes and Noble and Borders Bookstores, I realized that there was a whole section of Manga, the Japanese cartoon drawings, but not a single book that depicted the natural history of our ever-shrinking biological world. Perhaps by the time my son reaches an age where this knowledge may have some relevance to him, the sheer number of species will be largely reduced, by roughly half. At the rate that we are going, this is the projected outcome. However, how can we instill a sense of environmental stewardship in our youth when they are not being taught the natural order of life?

One possible solution is to bolster my own knowledge of the natural world, and share that learning with my son through walks and field trips. Spending more time outdoors is a welcome solution, and as the Alaskan days lengthen, this seems like the obvious solution for both of us. Another encouraging prospect for other parents or adults interested in lifelong learning or students wishing to pursue a science degree, is to sign up for a class through the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The UAF Bristol Bay Campus offers "Natural History of Alaska" and "Introduction to Environmental Science," taught this semester by Todd Radenbaugh. Yet another feasible solution to the problem of "nature deficit disorder" is to involve children in Scouting. My husband and I are rekindling the scouting tradition here in Dillingham, for the youngest scouting age - Tiger Cub Scouts. Sharon Clavette is a den leader for the older Webelos Scouts. If you are interested in Boy Scouts, feel free to check out www.scoutingalaska.org or send the Rural Director, Jay Goold an email at jgoold@bsamail.org. There is also a Girl Scout Troop in Dillingham, for our young lady naturalists. For parents or teens that aren't into scouting, we have an opportunity to start a 4-H Club. If you are interested in learning more about 4-H, please feel free to contact me at izetta.chambers@alaska.edu.