Outdoor Education Commons^™

Review Of Teaching The Trees, Charles Yaple

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Wallace Stegner is credited with authoring the statement, “Trees are the geography of hope.” Joan Maloof appears to have taken Stegner’s words to heart and testifies as to their validity in a delightful collection of essays about local trees in Maryland – Oaks, Beech, Pine, Red Maple, Black Locust, Cherry, Walnut and others. Teaching the trees… beautifully combines science, philosophy, and spirituality to make the case for preserving treed landscapes at all costs. Thoreau, Leopold and others who wrote about the importance of trees would give Maloof a standing ovation.

Review Of Flow: For Love Of Water, James B. Macadam

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

In the community where I live - Tucson, Arizona - about a third of our drinking water supply is pumped 300 miles uphill from the Colorado River, by a system of canals and pumps that consume 400,000 homes’ worth of energy every year. The rest is pumped out of local underground aquifers faster than they can be replenished. To say the least, water’s a hot topic around here. So when our nonprofit showed Flow - director Irena Salina’s 2008 documentary on the world water crisis - at the local independent theater, we expected that folks would be interested. When we …

News Briefs, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains multiple brief news items related to conservation, environment or outdoor education. Some items included: New York City Says “Turn ‘Em Off or Pay Up!” and "California Sets First Low Carbon Fuel Standard in U.S."

Professional Opportunities, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section included numerous opportunities for professional development related to outdoor education and environmental or conservation education. Some of the options included the "ATRA [American Therapeutic Recreation Association] Annual Conference" and the "Wilderness Risk Management Conference".

Resources, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains a listing of teaching resources of all types for those who work in the outdoor education field at the time of publication. Some items highlighted include: "EcoIQ.com" and "HP Limited Edition “Green IT for Dummies” Guide".

Silence Like Scouring Sand, Kathleen Dean Moore

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

It’s not easy to find silence in the modern world. If a quiet place is one where you can listen for fifteen minutes in daylight hours without hearing a human-created sound, there are no quiet places left in Europe. There are none east of the Mississippi River. And in the American West? Maybe twelve. One of these is in the temperate rainforest along the Hoh River in Olympic National Park.

Conference Calendar, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section provides a list of conferences in the field of outdoor education including: OSEE (Ontario Society for Environmental Education) and "Wilderness Inquiry".

Too Big To Fail, Wayne Stormann

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

On Monday, April 27, 2009, seven Greenpeace activists were arrested for scaling a construction crane and unfurling a gigantic banner with a picture of Earth accompanied by the caption – “Too Big to Fail.” The Greenpeace activists were calling attention to the fact that it is Planet Earth, not the large financial institutions which were bailed out, ostensibly, as “too big to fail,” that should warrant our concern.

Review Of Farming And The Fate Of Wild Nature, Michael A. Anderson

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Farming and the Fate of Wild Nature explores social, political, agrarian and ecological issues surrounding two movements that both attract passionate followers: small-scale agriculture and environmental conservation. Both have long been notable grassroots movements. Yet in their attempts to be heard, they often unwittingly oppose each other in addition to their shared detractor, corporate exploitation - whose momentum continues to consume resources at an unsustainable rate. In this collection of over 20 essays by leading thinkers and practitioners in ecological and agrarian competencies, one thing is clear: these two movements must not only work together for efficiency’s sake, but because …

Getting Back To Basics, Wendell Berry

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Editor's Note: This excerpt was taken from "Word and Flesh: Graduation Commencement Address - Special Issue: Environmental Restoration" by Wendell Berry, Whole Earth Review, Spring 1990.

Nebline, April 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Urban Youth Learn About Agriculture at Local Ag Awareness Festivals
Renting Livestock Facilities
Is Sainfoin Right For You?
Wind Energy Seminars Archived on the Web
Backyard Organic Gardens Need Work but Have Increased Benefits
Pre-emergent Herbicide Application Time
Act Early to Control Musk Thistles
Study Shows Transplanted Trees Grow Better Without Grass Nearby
Eat Your Breakfast— Your Body will Thank You!
Easter Egg Tips
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: Housekeeping Organization
Wring Out the Old; Bring in the New: Debunking Some Common Cleaning Practices
Boost Your Child’s Brain Power
Children …

It's All Happening At The Zoo: Children's Environmental Learning After School, Jason A. Douglas, Cindi Katz

Publications and Research

Pairing dynamic out-of-school-time (OST) programs with zoos can encourage young people's relationships with and sense of responsibility for animals and the environment. The project presented in this article, Animal Rescuers, gave the authors the opportunity to examine how such a pairing can work. OST programs enable learning in settings that are generally unavailable during school time (Honig & McDonald, 2005). They provide space for collaboration among students, teachers, and others such as program visitors or outside educators. Taking advantage of the flexibility, location, and educational playfulness of an OST setting, the authors worked intensively with a small number of 10-12-year-old …

Nebline, March 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

4-H Embryology: More Than Just a Science Project!
How to Account for Differences in Moisture Content in Commodities
Controlling Winter Annual Brome with Herbicides
Canada Geese Populations are Increasing
Managing Pocket Gophers
Do a “Don’t Do” List!
5 More Main Dishes—Each Using Only 5 Ingredients
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: Removing Soot from Carpet
Tips to Help Parents Talk to Their Kids About Sex and Technology
Local Bagworm Control Initiative
2009 Great Plants Selections
Early Detection is Key to Minimizing Insecticide Use in Home Gardens
Bird House Care Is Important …

Nebline, February 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

13 Fun Ways to Eat More Fruites and Vegetables!
Farmland Leasing Workshop, Feb. 11
Soil Fertility and Phosphorus
Private Pesticide Applicator Certification Opportunities
The Value of Landscaping
Are You Winning the “Fruit & Vegetable Bowl Game”?
5 Main Dishes—Each Using Only 5 Ingredients
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Beltline FCE Club: 1931–2008
Household Hints: How to Keep Red Clothes from Turning Pink
Small Steps to Health and Wealth
2009 All-America Selections
Starting Tender Perennials Indoors
Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month
Tree Squirrels and Rabbits are Active in Winter
Beginning Beekeeping …

Think Like A Mountain : The Need For Nature For Increased Mental Health, Erin M. Mclaughlin

Graduate Research Papers

Nature has been an integral part of the human life for thousands of years. Only in the most recent hundred years, societies have begun to view nature as a foreign concept outside of the normal realm of daily life. Along with this disconnect from nature, mental illness has increased in our societal populations. This paper identifies the correlation of the need for nature, the lack of connection to nature, and the significant increase in depression, ADHD, anxiety, and autism diagnoses, among others. It also identifies therapeutic techniques that incorporate and connect with nature, as well as provides a comprehensive reference …

Student Atlas Of Oregon: A Classroom Atlas For Elementary And Middle Schools, Teresa L. Bulman, Gwenda H. Rice, Center For Spatial Analysis And Research. Portland State University, David Banis

Instructional Materials

Includes maps about Oregon's landscape, climate, culture, economics, historical geography, water resources, wildlife, vegetation, agriculture, population, transportation, and natural resources.

The Student Atlas of Oregon was created specifically for upper elementary and middle school students, so it is easy for kids to understand.

Nebline, January 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Creating a Strong Family: Strong Families Have Six Common Characteristics
Ways to Spend Time With Your Family in January
Private Pesticide Applicator Certification Opportunities
Soybean Cyst Nematode Spreading in Nebraska: Free Soil Sampling Kits at Extension Offices
Mystery “Bites”: Unidentifiable Skin Problems Usually Have Non-Insect Causes
Raccoons in the City
2009 Wall Calendar
Beginning Beekeeping 2-Day Workshop
2009 All-America Rose Selections
Shopping for Plants and Seeds
Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month
Birds Need Water In Winter
Attract Winter Birds With Feeders
Top 10 Myths of Entrepreneurship
Winter Houseplant Care
Wishing You a Healthy H-A-P-P-Y N-E-W Y-E-A-R!
$tretch Your …

Nebline, Nov./Dec. 2008

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Make a Difference: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
2008 Crop Year in Review
Preserve Grain Quality with Aeration Management
Estimating Corn Drydown Time
It’s Not Easy Being Green During Nebraska’s Winters
Put on an Extra Blanket (Winter Mulching)
Avoid Stacking Firewood Next to House
The Keys to a Perfect Thanksgiving Meal
$tretch Your Food Dollar During the Holiday Season
Healthy Eating: Easy as Pie—Turkey Pot Pie
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ Notes—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: Keep Kitchen and Bathroom Clean During Guest Season
Skip the “Humbug!” 10 Tips to Relieve Holiday Stress
Housecleaning Ergonomics: How to …

Practitioner's Corner, Joseph Cornell

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This issue of Taproot's Practitioner's Corner focuses on an activity from Sharing Nature with Children II, 1989 by Joseph Cornell. The activity is called "Sound Map" and it focuses on Auditory Awareness and calmness.

Review Of Wall-E, Michael A Anderson

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This holiday season, I took in the computer-animated, science-fiction, romance film, WALL-E, on an early nineties 27" home television with DVD player. Both of which still work "just fine" and therefore have yet to be replaced by their owners - meaning no large panoramic flat screen, no high definition and no surround sound...And therefore my viewing experience for reviewing WALL-E may not have allowed me to experience the full effects of the Pixar Company's advanced animation and sound design. Interestingly enough, this very assumption was evident during the opening aerial scenes of the film when a fellow viewer commented on …

Stop, Look, Listen, Bill Donahue

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Since then the sounds of our continent's wilds have been increasingly drowned out by aircraft and traffic. Meanwhile, the sound level at movie theaters has been rising along with speaker quality and power. The standard theater decibel level is now between 70 and 90, and some action films roar at 120--jackhammer volume known to cause hearing loss. Car and home audio systems are likewise louder and the popularity of iPods and personal stereos is troubling. Some can play at 120 decibels for 20 hours without a recharge. More than 30 million Americans now suffer from irreversible hearing loss, and experts …

Contents, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

The Coalition for Education in the Outdoors is a non-profit network of outdoor and environmental education centers, nature centers, conservation and recreation organizations, outdoor education and experiential education associations, institutions of higher learning, public and private schools, fish and wildlife agencies, and businesses that share a mission the support and furtherance of outdoor education and its goals.

2am - Remembering, Michael A Anderson

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Editors note: The following spoken word, referred to in the previous feature story, was inspired during an extended river trip through the Colorado Plateau along the Green and Colorado Rivers.

News Briefs, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains multiple brief news items related to conservation, environment or outdoor education. Some items include: "Another Reason to get Outside: Stave off Seasonal Depression" and "Outdoor Recreation is a Popular Cure for Stress".

Resources, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section contains a listing of teaching resources of all types for those who work in the outdoor education field at the time of publication. Some items highlighted include: "An Introduction to Acoustic Ecology" and "The Nature Sounds Society".

Review Of Nature First, Michael A Anderson

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Nature First is a collection of essays edited by Bob Henderson and Nils Vikander. In it the evolving relationship between humans and nature in modern industrialized society is explored through the lens of the Norwegian traditions of friluftsliv. Frilufts-what, you may say if like me you're seeing the word for the first time. Fri-lufts-liv. In drawing attention to this most intriguing word, which translates literally to "free air life" or "nature free life", the editors introduce the reader to the deep and complex roots of Norway's cultural relationship with nature. A relationship whose sense of place has a history pre-dating …

Conference Calendar, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

This section provides a list of conferences in the field of outdoor education including NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) and EECOM (Canadian Network for Environmental Education).

You Belong Outside, Bruce Matthews

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

"You Belong Outside" is a poem by Bruce Matthews about how natural and free it is to be outside.

Children And Nature Forum Update, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

The fifty-four member Forum is dedicated to reconnecting kids with nature. By doing so, the Forum seeks to improve children's health and overall well-being, while encouraging them to rediscover America's landscape. The Forum believes that children's disconnect from nature, if left unchecked, shortchanges their health and happiness now-- and creates a future generation of adults that is less healthy, productive and able to value and protect our country's natural resources.

Revisited And Remembered, Michael A Anderson

Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education

Six autumns ago, I was fortunate to take an extended river trip to the tune of thirty days. I say fortunate because in this age of "time is money" a month-long personal trip free of outside responsibilities is indeed a luxury. Especially considering the trip itself was a month long, not including the logistical days necessary before and after such an extended outing. If only we could all be so lucky, right? Well, before critiques of wilderness elitism chime in let me assuage your thoughts, for this trip was not funded by outside means - no sponsors, no trust funds. …