Life lessons. PHOTO RICK MATTHEWS
Despite that promising start, my predicted boom didn’t happen. I later realized the barriers kids must overcome to get into whitewater. Access to appropriate whitewater is a big one.
And gear. But digging deeper, Louv argues that overall kids have less interaction with nature at home and school. Outdoor education is under attack across school boards, in some cases banning whitewater altogether. All is not lost. RPM dads, the first generation of the whitewa- ter boom, are now returning to the rivers bringing
If they don’t have a relationship with NATURE, kids today will have LITTLE VALUE, USE, or NEED for it as adults.
their elementary and high school kids with them. Teen-oriented paddling programs, whitewater day camps and parent-child paddling programs are springing up across North America. Canoe tripping camps also continue their work introduc- ing kids to wilderness camping and paddling. The Jackson Kayak’s Fun kid’s kayak, Com-
posite Creations’ Splash open canoe and Wer- ner’s small-shaft paddles are breaking down the equipment barriers. Although they will never likely be considered commercial successes, they are valuable investments in the future of our rivers. Louv has coined the term “nature deficit dis-
order” to label the current disconnect between kids and nature. But pint-sized gear, progressive programs and a new generation of parents may be leading the way toward a much-needed na- ture-child reunion. “Environmentalists need the goodwill of chil-
dren,” concludes Louv, “to [help with] the serious adult work of saving the world.” How can we save our rivers? Take a kid paddling.
—Jeff Jackson is on parental leave from his posi- tion as Professor of Outdoor Adventure at Algon- quin College in Pembroke, Ontario.
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