The foundation of conservation work is a connection to nature. Time spent in nature has been shown to increase human happiness, health and educational outcomes. However, there are many barriers to access to nature for people all over the world. These barriers include the ever-increasing use of screens by people of all ages, physical access to nature near people's homes, the confidence to spend time in nature, and the motivation to choose time outdoors. During this session, we will explain how including families in programming can breakdown many of the barriers to equitable access to nature for all, while also creating strong families, strong communities, and fostering the next generation of conservation leaders. By teaching the parents and grandparents alongside children of all ages, environmental and outdoor education programs can create confident and competent conservationists of all ages while also including people from cultures that highly value multigenerational family time.
