Brought to you by
Get Outdoors Florida

Even the Sunshine State, a land of recreation - is seeing kids spending too much time indoors and not enough time playing outside. Many of Florida’s adult citizens are in the same boat. But as David Ginder explains, the state is trying to reverse the trend. In March, 2009, Florida Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet passed a resolution endorsing the “Get Outdoors Florida Coalition” - a new partnership of federal and state agencies. The agencies, which include the Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida State Parks and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as well as universities, businesses, and non-profit groups statewide, is striving to change the “couch potato” habits of Florida kids and their families. The resolution also created an Outdoor Bill of Rights for Florida’s children. Coalition Chairman Bob Wattendorf explains. Wattendorf: “Every child has the right to do things like to swim in a healthy lake, to build a sandcastle, to camp out under the stars, climb a tree, catch a fish, explore nature, volunteer to help wildlife, and to celebrate Florida’s heritage.” Wattendorf says childhood development experts now see a link between time spent playing outdoors and physical, mental, and spiritual vigor in kids. It’s a phenomenon that writer Richard Louv describes as “nature deficit disorder.” Wattendorf: “The result is that there is a number of health correlations that have been documented in the literature; for instance, with an increase in obesity, diabetes, asthma, attention deficit disorder.” But the so-called “nature deficit disorder” encompasses much more than the link between inactivity and physical health. Wattendorf says there’s a vast body of literature that emphasizes the importance of outdoor exercise and free play in early childhood development, including its connection to well-developed social skills and creative thinking. Wattendorf: “This withdrawal from nature affects not only their learning, but their social interactions and their ability to play together, and to create on their own.” Even with year-round sunshine and warm weather, many of Florida’s children are missing out on outdoor experiences. The Get Outdoors Florida Coalition is working hard to overcome that deficiency. Wattendorf: “What we’re attempting to do is to make it easy and meaningful for families and communities to become involved in active, nature-based recreation outdoors.” And there’s a value-added benefit to this effort. As Floridians begin to understand the benefits of a more active outdoor lifestyle, they’ll be astonished at the wide array of outdoor activities available to them. From fishing, boating, scuba diving, and swimming, to hiking, camping, kayaking, birding, and more, Florida is a treasure trove of possibilities for those who love the outdoors. They’ll also begin to more fully appreciate the state’s natural resources, and the importance of sustaining them. Although the Get Outdoors Florida Coalition is a young coalition, its strength is in its wide diversity of partners, according to Wattendorf, who works for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He says the many agencies, businesses, universities, and groups that comprise the coalition have been working independently for years to get pieces of the message out to the general public. Wattendorf: “The Department of Health, talking about the specific health issues; the Department of Education, talking about their education concerns, our agency, talking about the need for sustainable resource protection…” By bringing the organizations together, the coalition has forged a network to spread the word about the importance of outdoor exercise and its connection to public health and well-being. The message speaks to all Floridians, but the focus is on kids and helping them develop the skills they need to participate in outdoor activities such as camping and fishing. Wattendorf says research has shown that when youngsters are exposed to such activities at an early age, they tend to develop a lifelong habit of engaging in outdoor recreation, an abiding love and appreciation for nature, and a steadfast commitment to protecting and conserving natural resources. People can take advantage of the many facilities that are already in place, from Florida’s one-hundred-sixty state parks, fish management areas, camping sites, and hiking trails, to national forests and wildlife refuges. For more information about local outdoor events, about ways to get children involved in outdoor activities and links to other nature-oriented organizations, go to the coalition’s website: http://www.getoutdoorsflorida.org. I’m David Ginder.