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2009-08-19 - CONNECTING FAMILIES WITH NATURE PASSPORT Zoo, Nature Centers and Parks join together to get families outside
(Grand Rapids, MI)Nature is all around us in Kent County and getting out to enjoy it as a family has been made even easier with the new Connecting Families with Nature Passport Program. Made possible by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, this is a collaborative program between seven Kent County environmental education organizations – Kent Conservation District, John Ball Zoo, Ada Township Parks, Blandford Nature Center, Calvin College Ecosystem Preserve, Howard Christensen Nature Center, and Wittenbach/Wege Agriscience and Environmental Education Center. The passport program will help families connect with nature through affordable, family-friendly programs and activities that can be done at these sites or independently.
Each family’s outdoor adventures begin by getting a passport at one of the six partner sites on September 19th or by learning about future passport programs at www.kentconservation.org/families. The passport will help each family track their outdoor experiences at these sites and other outdoor areas over the next year. Those children that complete their passports with their family by next September are invited to attend an exclusive family event at John Ball Zoo in late September, 2010. Activities that qualify for passport stamps include family programs at the participating sites, going on a family hike and participating in a local stewardship project such as a stream cleanup or invasive species removal project. It takes just 8 stamps to complete a passport.
The program is designed to get families out of the house and away from the TV, computer or video games to experience and enjoy nature! Experts believe and data shows that getting outdoors and enjoying nature as a family can have positive impacts on the health and well-being of children, their parents and the environment. Even so, children today spend up to 6.5 hours each day in front of electronic media. Through this program, the program sites hope families will take some of this time and use it to enjoy and learn about the outdoors.
Each site will have a kickoff event on Saturday, September 19th. At these events and throughout the upcoming year, passports will be available along with information about participation and future family activities. Advance registration is not required for the kickoff events. Contact your local Connecting Families with Nature partner or visit www.kentconservation.org/families for event details.
Contact
For media-related questions, please contact Krys at (616) 336-4374 or by email at kbylund@johnballzoosociety.org.
