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WILKES-BARRE — Richard Louv, an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and world-renown authority on connecting children and families to the natural world, brought his message on getting back to nature to Wilkes University on Wednesday.
Louv, a California resident, has written nine books on the subject of nature that have been translated into 13 languages and published in 17 countries. He is considered one of the world’s authoritative figures in the relationship between children and the natural world.
The North Branch Land Trust (NBLT), Geisinger, Wilkes University, and the Riverfront Parks Committee sponsored the one-hour lecture.
Brian Ferry, 31, of Wilkes-Barre, an urban planning and landscape architect, has been familiar with Louv’s work and authors similar to Louv for many years.
“I feel that there are some major missed opportunities here in Wilkes-Barre,” Ferry said. “We can be implementing more of the natural environment here.”
Ferry cited Coal Street Park as a place where a dense wooded area could be converted to an educational opportunity specifically for the children at Sherman Hills.
Earlier in the day, Louv visited the Bear Creek Community Charter School where Paul Longo, the school’s environment initiatives coordinator, briefed Louv on what the school is doing to connct children to nature.
Barb Romanansky, director of development with NBLT, spent most of the day touring the area with Louv.
“He speaks of the hybrid mind,” Romanansky said. “A hybrid mind is half technology, because we can’t do without technology, but the other half is in nature. By combining the high tech with the nature experience, you’ll have a well-rounded person. It’s critical to the well-being of children and adults.”
Romanansky went on to say she is fearful of children spending their days looking at a screen rather that getting their feet dirty in a mud puddle. “Mud puddles are important to children.”
During Louv’s lecture, he spoke of the importance of getting educators involved with nature.
“We need to train future teachers to go outdoors. So much can be done at the school level – it must be done,” he said.
Louv noted today’s parents are very protective of their children. Out of fear, they are not letting them go out to play and discover. Louv said parents should be “hummingbird parents” rather than helicopter parents hovering over their children.
“Hummingbird parents hang back and observe their children and only intervene when necessary,” Louv said. By doing so, kids have the chance to explore nature.
Louv went on to suggest that the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area form a community partnership for healthy living.
At the end of the lecture at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, Louv took questions from the audience followed by a book signing in the lobby.
