Working With Children

Do you recall the adult who steered you into a scout project or made it possible for you to attend an Arbor Day program? Chances are that each of us was influenced by someone who cared about the environment and cared about children. Today, many adults want to “pay back” a debt of gratitude by introducing children to the wonderful world of trees, but they are not sure how best to proceed. Following are some examples of projects and organizations that are putting children in touch with trees and nature. They are transforming lives and at the same time making neighborhoods better places in which to live. 

Will kids be receptive to the right kind of help? Consider these findings from a study of 8- to 15-year-olds conducted by the Disney Institute. When asked about their biggest concern for the future, “the environment” was right up at the top just behind “hate” and “violence.” When young leaders were asked to define “the biggest challenge you faced in making a difference in your community,” the top answer by an overwhelming margin was that kids “are not taken seriously by adults.” In another survey, when the organization Kids F.A.C.E. (Kids for a Clean Environment) asked its 300,000 members what they would like to do to make the world a better place, “tree planting” was the number one response.