Bring the Family

Get Outside – After You “Discover the Forest”

Posted by Toni | Filed under Get Outdoors

Our Lamoille Canyon campsite in Humboldt National Forest, Nevada

The Discover the Forest web site was created by the Ad Council and the U.S. Forest Service to encourage families to explore our wild public lands. Obviously this is an idea I can get behind, even knowing that online learning is no substitute for actually getting outdoors and letting our kids get dirty, look for signs of wildlife, gaze at stars, and count the different colors of wildflowers along a favorite hiking trail. I like to think of sites like this as a tantalizing prelude to an even more sumptuous main course.

I’m not a big fan of Flash animation, but it’s not too painful to deal with on this site because they get it over with quickly. There’s a page for parents to get you started, activities to do online with your kids (plus a printable workbook) in the What to Do section, and plenty of ideas for where and how to experience nature first-hand. But as a parent who is actively working to foster an appreciation of nature in her kids, the Why section was the most compelling part of this site, with links to even more sites designed to get kids excited about heading outside (What can I say? I like appetizers, especially if they lead up to a meal I can really sink my teeth into).

Last summer, we spent a few days camping in a remote National Forest in northern Nevada. Compared to the U.S. National Parks, National Forest Service campgrounds are generally more rustic and there are generally fewer bells and whistles, but that can be a definite plus. We practically had the campground and miles of readily accessible hiking trails to ourselves, and with a stone-filled creek a few yards from our site, our three sons were never bored. I think many parents aren’t even aware of the sheer volume of pristine National Forest land available for families to discover, and I hope that this site opens the door to some great family vacations.

For newsworthy updates and to share your experiences and ideas, follow Discover the Forest’s Twitter and become a fan on Facebook and continue this vital conversation about why public lands are so important for families and the future wild spaces our kids will inherit.

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