“10 years back, 10 years forward”: Children, families and nature

Royal Roads University
Hatley Castle Drawing Room
2005 Sooke Rd. Victoria BC

In February 2007, The Kesho Trust, Mountain Equipment Co-op, the University of Victoria and Royal Roads University hosted a community conference called a Dialogue on Children, Families and Nature. We were interested in the implications of the then-current book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder and invited its author Richard Louv to attend. This gathering, as well as a similar gatherings in 2009 and 2011, led to the formation of the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada and other critical initiatives related to getting children and families outside to experience and enjoy the many benefits of connecting with nature.

The Kesho Trust, Sierra Club of BC and Royal Roads University is hosting a ten-year anniversary meeting where we can all:

• Hear about the outcomes of the work initiated or growing from those earlier gatherings;
• Discuss where we believe we should be moving towards in the next ten years and how we might plan to move toward this desired future;
• Celebrate!

The day will begin with coffee and mingling; our keynote speaker will be author Richard Louv, who will join us via the internet from his home in San Diego, CA. In addition, the Lieutenant Governor of BC, the Honourable Judy Guichon, will be attendng and she will offer her thoughts as a person who has a long-standing interest in this movement.

There will be a series of three panel presentations, each with 3-4 invited speakers. The panels will cover the domains of nature-based programs in schools (K-12), urban issues in child/nature connection, and the role of NGOs and governmental agencies. Panelists will briefly speak on where they see this movement has been and where it needs to go over the next decade.

Lunch will be provided, along with coffee and snacks.

Following the panel presentations, we will have a facilitated process which will allow you to think about what your desired futures might be in terms of the theme of the conference, and then to engage in a process of imagining the steps needed to get to that desired future.

Following the event, an open no-host bar will take place in the beautiful drawing room of Hatley Castle at Royal Roads University.