Climbers' Corner • Tree Academy
Monday • Tuesday • Wednesday
Monkey Business: The Confluence of Arboriculture and Environmental Education
Summary
As urban foresters and arborists, we often spend time thinking about the future of trees, asking questions like: Does the tree have good structure? Is there sufficient soil volume? Does the tree match the site? We think of the future generations of trees, but we often forget the future generations of humans that will care for them.
In 2005, Richard Louv published Last Child in The Woods and coined the term “Nature Deficit Disorder.” Louv has pointed out that the current generation of children is growing up without forming a significant relationship with the natural world; this is in stark contrast to many of our formative experiences that steered us toward the field of arboriculture. This presentation explores this problem and proposes solutions and ideas to educate children about trees.
Conference Proceedings Documents
Presenters
Phil Bennett is a municipal arborist with the City of Snoqualmie, Washington. For nine years before becoming an arborist, he worked as an environmental educator and wilderness guide, connecting children and adults to the natural world, with organizations such as Wilderness Awareness School, a nationally-recognised 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Phil creates Arbor Day celebrations in Snoqualmie that include extensive activities for children to learn about trees.
Climbers' Corner • Tree Academy
Monday • Tuesday • Wednesday