CAMPING EXCURSIONS LEAVE NO CHILD INSIDE 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2008

Contact: Bill Weidner, Office of Public Affairs: 630-871-6406
Bonnie Olszewski, Office of Public Affairs: 630-871-6402

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is pleased to announce its involvement with the Chicago Park District’s “Under Illinois Skies” program. As part of a new arrangement, the districts are working together to teach children skills to enjoy the natural world.

“It’s always a positive when two agencies can join together to do something that they could not have accomplished separately,” said D. “Dewey” Pierotti Jr., president of the Forest Preserve District. “Becoming a part of ‘Under Illinois Skies’ is one more demonstration of the Forest Preserve District’s commitment to helping children connect with nature.

With the prevalence of video games and the Internet today, we have a generation of children growing up with few outdoor experiences,” noted Pierotti. “Programs like this, where children may hear an owl’s hoot or reel in a fish for the first time, teach kids to connect with the wild places in their own neighborhoods and beyond.”

 “Under Illinois Skies” is for children ages 10 to 13. In groups of 20 or fewer, they spend one day in a city park and then head to a DuPage County forest preserve for a two-night campout. Children learn teamwork and build self esteem as they pitch tents, cook outdoors, hike, fish, and more. Staff from both agencies lead activities from archery to arts and crafts and nature hikes. The program is already underway, and throughout the summer nearly 100 children will enjoy these new experiences.

Tom Pray, a member of the District’s education team, noted that some of the participants have never before been this far from the city. “Many of us in DuPage County are accustomed to having woods and prairies as a part of our lives, but for some of the campers, this trip is akin to exploring a vast wilderness,” he said. “It’s really inspiring to see their excitement for the outdoors.”

Though the Chicago Park District has offered camping opportunities for several years, this is the first time that the Forest Preserve District has assisted with the program. The two districts were already connected by their membership in the Chicago Wilderness consortium, an alliance of more than 200 public and private organizations working together for the benefit of the natural ecosystems of the Chicago region.

And both agencies are active proponents of the consortium’s “Leave No Child Inside” initiative, which offers programs and resources for parents and teachers to help children foster an appreciation for nature and the outdoors. The initiative was launched in response to mounting evidence that a lack of unstructured outdoor play may be linked to childhood obesity, attention deficit disorder, depression and other health problems. When children learn to safely enjoy the outdoors through guided experiences, they develop a lasting curiosity about the natural world and foundations for healthy, active lives.

To learn more about the “Leave No Child Inside” initiative and find out ways to help kids experience nature, visit www.kidsoutside.info. 

To learn about the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, call 630-933-7200, or visit www.dupageforest.com.

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