Last Child in the Woods:
An Oregon Perspective
Much anecdotal information and a growing body of national research shows that the current generation of youth spends significantly less time in the outdoors than previous generations. While children continue to spend time in organized sports there has been a marked reduction in free time spent in unstructured outdoor play.
Author Richard Louv wrote about the issue in The Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder in which he analyzes and explains the crucial role nature plays in the lives of children. The concern for this lack of interaction with nature has many Oregonians working to reconnect children with nature.
On April 22, 2010 Terry Bergerson, Outdoor Recreation Planner with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and Kreg Lindberg, PhD, Professor of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at OSU-Cascades Campus will be the City Club's guests to discuss the implications of the "Last Child in the Woods" phenomenon that are as relevent in Central Oregon as in other parts of the country.
Pre-registration is required by April 16th at 5:00 p.m. The cost to members is $15.00 for lunch. Nonmembers pay $30.00 for lunch and program.
Preregister in one of the following ways:
1) Prepay on line with a Visa or Mastercard.
2) Use the "contact us" link to let me know who is attending - then pay cash or check at the door.
3) Call the City Club at 541-633-7163 to provide the names of those who will attend and pay cash or check at the door.
The Forum will begin at 11:30 and conclude at 1:00 p.m. This City Club Forum will be conducted at Eagle Crest Conference Center at Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond.
Related Material
Statewide Recreation Plan
Oregon's Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)
2003-2007
Outdoor Recreation in Oregon: The Changing Face of the Future (SCORP)
2008-2012
Richard Louv - and related articles
Oregon Trails 2005-2014: A Statewide Action Plan
Transportation Issue Brief
Interaction with Nature
Health and Nature
Proximity to Parks Plays Role in Physical Fitness
Step Into Action
Be Outside: Putting Nature Back into the Parks
Speaker Bios
Terry Bergerson:
Outdoor Recreation Planner, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Terry was the project manager and primary author of the 2003-2007 Oregon Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), the 2005-2014 Oregon Statewide Trails Plan, and the 2008-2012 Oregon SCORP entitled, Outdoor Recreation in Oregon: The Changing Face of the Future. Prior to coming to OPRD, he worked as a Research Support Scientist at the University of Idaho. Terry has a Master's degree in Recreation and Resources Development from Texas A&M University.
Kreg Lindberg, PhD:
Professor of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, OSU Cascades Campus
Kreg lead the research component for the 2008-2012 Oregon SCORP, including a statewide survey on youth participation in outdoor recreation. This research provides the most recent and comprehensive information on the subject in Oregon.
Kreg teaches and conducts research in tourism and outdoor recreation, with a particular focus on eco and adventure tourism. His recent projects include:
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Visitor and public preferences for development of visitor services in Norwegian national parks, for the Institute of Transport Economics and the Norwegian Research Council.
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Oregon OHV economic impact analysis, for Oregon State Parks.
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Monitoring of the Lower Deschutes Limited Entry system implementation, for Oregon State Parks and the Bureau of Land Management.
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Andes region visitor surveys, focused on trip characteristics, expenditure, and visitor motivation, for The Nature Conservancy and Green Consulting.
He has a Ph.D. in forest social science with a minor in economics from OSU (1995), as well as a Masters in international relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Kreg has traveled in more than 40 countries and has worked in 15 countries on 6 continents.
When he's not in class or on the computer, Kreg is out hiking with his dog, biking, cross-country skiing, or exploring backroads in the forest.