Resources

Want to learn more about birding with children or have an enthusiastic beginning birder in your life? Check out this book from special educator Rasha Hamid with this exclusive excerpt. Learn how to get started, birding terminology and strategies that will help everyone get connected to the joy of birding!

Available in English and Spanish, these bird bingo cards from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology offer an easy way to get young people engaged in birding.

Dr. Hanaa Hamdi looked out at a sea of over 600 faces. The buzz from early-morning greetings and fresh cups of coffee had faded to a charged...

As climate change continues to impact communities globally, many young people face increasing eco-anxiety and distress, leading to sleeplessness, grief, an inability to focus and worse. Experts have identified a range of strategies to build resilience and help manage emotions, including being active in your community, seeking positivity and modeling sustainable behaviors. “A lot of times, the anxiety and the hopelessness comes from a feeling of powerlessness. And I don’t think any of us is powerless,” reflected climate scientist Kate Marvel. “I think collectively, we’re incredibly powerful.” The Washington Post.

Last year, Colorado became the second state, following Washington, to approve state licenses for outdoor preschools. Advocates of the new law hoped it would expand access to nature-based early learning — including allowing low-income families to get up to 30 free hours at outdoor preschools. As part of the new law, Colorado proposed rules to govern outdoor preschools, but advocates with the Colorado Collective for Nature-Based Early Education say the new rules are too restrictive and will make it difficult for outdoor preschools to function. CPR News.

With an emphasis on birds found in southern Wisconsin and North America, these bird guides designed especially for kids are a great way to introduce children to birds and the distinct qualities of different species. The guides are available in English and Spanish and can be printed or viewed on a computer for free. The web page also has several other field guides, covering insects, tracks and scat, birds in winter and leaves.

In New York, fish guts are fueling environmental stewardship. Through the Science Research Mentoring Program at the American Museum of Natural History, high school juniors and seniors work alongside scientists on real research. At one school, students support an ichthyologist (fish scientist) by dissecting fish to study microplastics. “I have totally fallen in love with science,” one participant said, who now dreams of using her new skills to fight climate change. “[Climate change] is the biggest problem faced by our generation … It’s everyone’s responsibility to do what they can to fight it.” The Hechinger Report.

Watch a recording of award-winning artist, author, educator and scientist, John Muir Laws as he shares his best tips and tricks for nature journaling learned through his 40 years of teaching and illustrating. This class is geared towards children ages 8+, parents, caregivers, educators and anyone looking to pass this knowledge onto others.

After decades of activism resulting in the removal of four major dams, the Klamath River now flows freely from Oregon to the coast of northern California. A group of mostly Indigenous youth, ages 13 to 20, now plan to kayak the more than 300-mile route from headwaters to coast — a journey not possible for the past 100 years. They will paddle through the ancient territory and homelands of their tribes — the Klamath, Shasta, Karuk, Hoopa Valley and Yurok among them. Many participants trained for this moment through summer white-water kayaking programs and tribe-led classes on activism, ecosystems, and cultural knowledge. “We have an opportunity to redefine what our relationship to the river is,” said John Acuna, a member of the Hoopa Valley tribe and expedition leader. The New York Times.

“Bees are a unique teaching tool,” says Tami Enright, Co-founder and Executive Director of nonprofit The Bee Cause Project. “They’re cute, they’re fuzzy… kids start caring for...

“Bees are superorganisms. They all work together, and they can’t survive outside the hive,” explains Audrey McCollough. “It really surprised me that you treat a beehive like...

New research from Oregon State University suggests that outdoor spaces are not luxuries, but rather essential public health infrastructure. Researchers analyzed over 500 adults’ behavior and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that the mental health benefits of outdoor recreation were “significant and measurable.” A reduction in outdoor recreation among respondents was directly associated with an increase in stress and depressive symptoms, while more frequent outdoor recreation predicted better well-being. “Outdoor recreation emerged as an important protective factor for mental health during the crisis,” reported lab director Xiangyou “Sharon” Shen. OregonLive.

Amid busy Cleveland, Ohio, Trey Williams founded Hood Honey, a thriving urban apiary and farm. What started off as just two hobby hives in his neighbor’s garden has grown, and Williams now has five sites across farms, cemeteries and gardens. His ultimate vision? A network of urban farms that tackles food insecurity, creates Black economic growth, builds community and creates opportunities for families and youth. Currently, Hood Honey is working on adding bee beds and pollinator gardens in residential areas to connect with residents interested in gardening and provide them with free native plants to grow — supporting not just Hood Honey’s bees but also the vital native bee populations. The Land.

Every June, we celebrate Pride Month to recognize LGBTQ+ history and culture, uplift LGBTQ+ voices, and support LGBTQ+ rights — including the right of all LGBTQ+ youth to access...

How do you talk to young people about living sustainably and caring for the planet? The answer is a tricky balance between acknowledging our environmental reality while recognizing the resilience of both humans and the rest of the natural world. Experts advise that it’s important for adults to recognize the size and scariness of the issues, and let kids feel anger, sadness and fear. However, it’s also helpful (and healing) to take positive action, and education, open-minded conversation, and time outdoors are good places to start. As filmmaker Damon Gameau says, “There’s something beautiful about the human spirit, particularly when its back is against the wall and innovation and creativity get unleashed. We’re capable of doing extraordinary and wonderful things.” The Guardian.

For 19-year-old Zack Sporte, beekeeping bloomed from a backyard hobby into a vocation. As a child, Sporte spent his free time exploring the woods, drawn to outdoor and hands-on learning. This curiosity led him to tap maple trees for syrup at age 10 and start beekeeping at 12. Now, he runs a small honey business and advocates for pollinator health and environmental sustainability. “If you’re passionate about something, don’t give up, even when it gets hard,” Sporte advises. “And please limit the use of pesticides or herbicides. They harm the bees.” Rapid Growth.

Public policy and funding decisions at all levels of government directly impact children’s ability to engage with and learn from nature. Policies and advocacy efforts around the...

In Lowell, Massachusetts, nature is a vital community asset. Driven by the belief that every resident deserves access to green space, the City of Lowell is working...

CJ Goulding is a nature leader, a community weaver and a storyteller. He believes deeply in the power of community connection and building mental models that drive...

In late April, nearly $400 million in AmeriCorps grants was terminated, cutting the agency’s grant funding by more than 41% and affecting more than 30,000 AmeriCorps members, many of whom are young people and teens. The impacts of these federal cuts continue to ripple through environmental and conservation programs across the U.S. In rural areas of the Midwest, environmental conservation comprises a patchwork of small nature preserves, with AmeriCorps members playing key roles in ecosystem restoration and environmental education. “AmeriCorps is one of those rare federal programs that has the ability to access rural communities,” said one representative. WPR.

If you spend time on the far east side of metropolitan Indianapolis, Indiana, you might see… a horse? Nestled between residential neighborhoods is Broganville Farm, a Black-owned family farm, home to horses, goats, miniature cows and a large vegetable garden. Through community partnerships, educational programs and events, Broganville teaches kids about farm life — how to care for livestock, grow food and spend more time outside. “You see sometimes people say, ‘Black people don’t do this’ or, ‘you can’t have a farm in the city,’” said owner Kadeem Brogan. “But here we are, in the middle of Indianapolis… We just try to bring the country to the city, expose our kids to something different.” Mirror Indy.

Discover The Huneebee Project in this mini documentary — one of the first therapeutic beekeeping programs for teens in the U.S. Based in New Haven, Connecticut, the program teaches teenagers beekeeping skills that they can take to other jobs, while also providing a therapeutic setting for them to work through hardship and trauma. Participants report that beekeeping helped them find meditation and mindfulness by confronting fears surrounding bees, witnessing the mesmerizing white noise the hives create, and building a supportive community throughout the four-month program. “There’s nothing really going on,” reflects one teen. “It’s just me and the bees.” Connecticut Public Radio.

Climate change’s growing impact is creeping its way into everyday life, from deciding whether kids should play outside after school in rising temps, to whether younger adults want to have children. Meanwhile, climate anxiety is on the rise — in a recent study, 78% of young people reported that climate change impacts their overall mental health. One Canadian professor suggests that outdoor sports like mountain biking, cross-country skiing and rock climbing can help young people connect with nature, build community and participate in environmental stewardship. These activities can provide a positive channel for feelings of hopelessness or climate anxiety. The Conversation.

This short news broadcast covers students at H.J. Russell West End Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, who care for nearly 50,000 bees as members of “The Bee Club.” Guided by professional beekeeper Edward Morgan, the students spend the year learning about beekeeping, inspecting hives and harvesting honey. Morgan’s mentorship has been key to the club’s success, highlighting one of two essential factors for other schools looking to adopt similar programs — the other being funding. The Bee Club itself got its start with a grant from the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association. WSB-TV.

In Minnesota, a teen-founded organization inspires more than 2,000 volunteers to get their hands dirty by weeding, digging, planting and chopping to complete projects that are designed, planned and executed by teenagers. The Green Crew is turning young people’s growing climate anxiety into collective action — and research suggests this response can help reduce climate-related depression and anxiety. Thanks to their unique model, the Green Crew gives young people a rare but vital sense of agency. The New York Times.

This Research Digest explores how backcountry and wilderness adventures can support physical, psychological, social-emotional and spiritual well-being.

In Los Angeles, California, green spaces are distributed inequitably due to historic redlining and other racist policies — concentrating roughly 20% of the city’s canopy in five neighborhoods containing just 1% of the city’s population. But Amigos de los Rios has a vision for a shimmering “Emerald Necklace” of green spaces, schools, parks and trails flanking the city’s Rio Hondo and San Gabriel rivers, from the nearby San Gabriel Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The nonprofit has greened almost 30 schools in the Los Angeles area, despite losing their offices in the recent Eaton fire. From the ashes, they’re growing native plants — and closing the greenspace gap. The Guardian.

On the first of February, I woke up at 4:45 a.m. and drove 30 miles south. I was headed to a bird meetup at the

Meet the seven powerful young leaders on the 2025 Young Adults Advisory Council. Among other things, the Young Adults Advisory Council helps guide the planning, production and...