Recently, WWF (the World Wildlife Fund) briefed me to develop an idea to celebrate their 50th anniversary. They wanted something that would be inspiring, hopeful, personal...and slightly different!
My concern is that at the heart of the environmental crisis, we're losing touch with nature. Our digital, online, consumerist lifestyles allow little space to explore, celebrate and just be in nature. This is especially true for young people who "are spending less time than ever exploring the natural world" (see references at the bottom of the page).
Yet ironically, I believe we find out true identity when we're connected to nature in some way, rooted in a particular landscape, engaged in an outdoor activity or sport, or just experiencing the seasons, the elements or playing with a much loved pet.
So my idea was a simple and personal one...let's get children and young people to express what they love about the natural world and when they feel most at home with nature. They can bring their ideas to life across five categories: Camera (film & photography); Audio (sound & music); Movement (dance & movement); Art (drawing, painting & sculpture); and Words (poetry & prose). And their 'works' will be exhibited online and in a special WWF birthday exhibition to inspire others.
The project is now underway and it's called
My True Nature. You can find out all about it at
http://wwfmytruenature.tumblr.com/.
Project conceived and directed by Richard Wilson.
Interesting references:
Richard Louv: “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder”
RSPB report: “Every Child Outdoors” and “Natural Thinking”
Faculty of Public Health report: “Great Outdoors: How Our Natural Health Service Uses Green Space To Improve Wellbeing”
Article in The Guardian by Ruth Stokes: "Getting Back to Nature is Child's Play"
Article in The Daily Telegraph by Martin Evans: "Closeted children are losing touch with the outdoors, new survey claims"
Article on Get Wokingham website: "Todays' Children Missing Out on Nature"
