Re: Last Child in the Woods –– Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

Mike raises some interesting points about our effects on the natural world. I agree that we all have a responsibility to minimize (and when possible eliminate) our impact whenever we go into the front or backcountry (hey, I’d say the same for when we’re at home too). And we should be passing those Leave No Trace lessons on to others, especially kids.

But like m0rpheu5111 said, removing ourselves completely isn’t the answer. Ultimately, I think it’s the kids and adults who have the most exposure to the outdoors and natural world who will have the greatest respect for it. If we remove ourselves from the outdoors completely, then who’s going to care enough to protect it or even notice that it’s disappearing?

I think it also sets up a dangerous precedent of viewing nature/wilderness/outdoors as some distant other thing, to which you’re not connected. That sort of thinking doesn’t help foster a real relationship with or understanding of the natural world.

With fewer and fewer people even getting outside now, limiting exposure, especially kids’ exposure, is moving in the wrong direction. I think that is a huge long-term threat to conservation of wild places (not to minimize the importance of responsible LNT practices).

It’s an interesting personal conundrum to consider though—if I’m following LNT and generally being responsible when hiking or whatnot, when, if ever, is my impact still too much? Obviously even the best-intentioned, responsible person has some impact, and every one of us could draw a different line of how much impact is too much.

Those who regularly read these forums have heard me go on and on about “Last Child in the Woods,” so I’ll spare the praise. I heard one of Louv’s talks on NPR a few years ago, after the initial publication of “Last Child in the Woods.” He mentioned what he’d learned since the publication, such as the different ways some races and cultures view the outdoors and how that affects access and exposure to it. With a new edition coming out in late April, I’m curious to see what other new insights Louv has added since the original.