The winter sure was brutal! Ready to finally get outside again? The National Wildlife Federation can help with its new website Wildlife Nation, which aims to get kids interested in the outdoors and connect parents with other nature enthusiasts across the country.
Becky Lentz, senior director of the Great Lakes Region of the NWF (over in Ann Arbor), is one of the co-founders. The site was launched here in southeast Michigan, she says – with kids in mind.
"One of the big (reasons) is that National Wildlife Federation as a whole is very concerned with having conservation stewards for the future," Lentz explains. "Our mission is to protect wildlife for our children's future."
A common barrier to families getting into nature? They don't know what to do once they're outside, Lentz says. That's where Wildlife Nation comes in. It gives adults a place to go to learn how to camp, fish, plant trees and create wildlife habitats with kids. Learn from others, too, through the social networking feature.
"One thing we say a lot is if you don't know a place or don't know something, you don't have enough information to love for it or care for it."
Parents play a crucial role. Lentz says when kids spend time in nature with a caring adult – be it a parent or camp counselor – plus learn something while they're at it, the interest sticks.
Connect with teams of wildlife aficionados, get how-tos on outdoor fun, local activities for families to partake in and more for free over at Wildlife Nation.
