Today we’re discussing environmental education and the importance of spending time in nature to both human health and environmental conservation.

2020 was a year when human society reconnected with nature.

Spending time outdoors has been soothing for many during the pandemic — whether it’s found outside our homes, in parks, or via nature documentaries — and in some ways it was a meaningful reset.

Both human health and conservation benefit when we learn about, connect with, and spend time in nature, so today we’re discussing nature connection for kids and adults: what we know about its beneficial effects, how a movement to connect with nature has been growing globally, and what this means for conservation.

Our first guest is journalist and author Richard Louv, who coined the phrase ‘nature deficit disorder’ and wrote the 2005 book that introduced the concept, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, in order to facilitate discussion of the human cost of alienation from the natural world. Louv discusses the international movement kicked off by the publication of Last Child in the Woods and what the latest research says about the connection between nature deficit disorder and a variety of physical and mental ailments. He also tells us about his newest book, Our Wild Calling: How Connecting With Animals Can Transform Our Lives — and Save Theirs.

We’re also joined today by Megan Strauss, an editor with Mongabay Kids, Mongabay’s own site dedicated to providing kids, families, and educators with content that helps raise awareness of environmental issues and fosters an appreciation of plants, wildlife, and wild places. Strauss tells us about the goals of Mongabay Kids, gives us a preview of some upcoming content, and discusses the importance of environmental education for children.

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Follow Mike Gaworecki on Twitter: @mikeg2001

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