Children in Nature& Community Planning

TheMDPartnershipforChildreninNaturewascreatedin2008toensurethatallMarylandyoungpeoplehavetheopportunitytolearnabouttheirenvironment,connectwiththeirnaturalworldandgrowtobecomeresponsiblestewards.ThroughtheworkofthisPartnership,aplanwasdevelopedtoconnectfamiliesandcommunitiestonature,andtoreachouttounderservedcommunitieswiththeleastaccessnature,andtoincreasestudentconnectionstonatureduringtheschoolday.Themajorrecommendationsoftheplanare:1. Incorporatenatureplayspacesintocommunity

healthplanning,landuseplanningandcommunitydevelopmentdesign.

2. EstablishaMarylandTrailDevelopmentOfficeto:provideleadershipandestablishavisionforMaryland’strailsystem,includingthecoordinationofmulti-agencytrailplanningandfunding,orchestrationoftrailadvocacy,creationofaone-stoptrailGISdatabaseandwebsiteandthedevelopmentofanewMarylandTrailTownProgram

3. DevelopastrategicstateparkandpubliclandsandwaterwaysInterpretiveandOutdoorClassroomPlan,whichincludestheidentificationoffundingneedstosupportagreaterpresenceofparkrangersandseasonalnaturaliststaff.

4. Developandimplementacomprehensiveprogramtoincreaseaccessandutilizationofpubliclandsandwaterwaysforunderservedcommunities.

5. ExpandandimprovetheexistingCivicJusticeCorps(CJC)modeltoserve1,000at-riskyouthstatewideby2015withsummerconservationjobsandoutdoorenrichmentactivities.

6. Provideanannualmeaningfuloutdoorenvironmentaleducationexperienceforeverystudenteveryyear,pre-Kthroughgrade12.

7. Requireforgraduationthateveryhighschoolstudenttakeandpassadesignatedcourseof

studyonenvironmentalliteracyasdefinedinthisdocument.

8. Establishacomprehensiveinitiativetogreenallschoolsandschoolgrounds,andembedschoolyardhabitatprogramsasintegratedindoorandoutdoorinstructionalcomponentsofthecurriculum,tocreateopportunitiesforoutdoorlearningexperiencesforstudentsandmembersofthecommunity.

9. Provideprofessionaldevelopmentforteachers,stateparkrangersandnaturalists,andotherserviceproviders.

10.AdopttheMarylandStateEnvironmentalLiteracyStandards.LocalplanningeffortsprovideawonderfulopportunitytoincorporatetheseChildreninNaturegoalsandtodeveloppolicythatwillsupportincreasedaccesstonaturalspacesforchildrenandtheirfamilies.Somespecificexamplesarelistedbelow.

©2011/2012MDDNR/MDPartnershipforChildreninNature

VisittheMarylandPartnershipforChildreninNatureatdnr.maryland.gov/cin/nps/

Community PlanningLocalplanningeffortsprovideawonderfuloppor-tunitytoincorporatetheseChildreninNaturegoalsandtodeveloppolicythatwillsupportincreasedac-cesstonaturalspacesforchildrenandtheirfamilies.Somespecificexamplesarelistedbelow.

Incorporatenatureplayspacesintocommunityhealthplanning,landuseplanningandcommunitydesign.• Consideraccesstogreenspacewhenplanning

capitalprojects-pathsnearroads,connectinghomestogreenspace

• Connectschoolsandpublicbuildingstoparksandpaths• Reclaimunderusedsitesforgreenpocketparks-evenasmallspacecanmakeadifference• Planfornatureplayareasinsteadofexpensivestructuredplaygrounds• Establishexpectationsthataccesstonatureisanecessaryelementtocommunitydesignasmuchastransportation,schoolsandotheramenities.• Identifygreenways,corridorsandtrailsthatmayprovideaccesstogreenspaceandcouldalsoserveasalternativetransportationroutes(bikeandwalkingpaths)aswellassupportcommunityhealthgoals(activelivingthroughcommunitydesign)

Developandimplementacomprehensiveprogramtoincreaseaccessandutilizationofpubliclandsandwaterwaysforunderservedcommunities.• Identifyareasandcommunitiesthatareinneed

ofgreenspaceorwaterwayaccess(DNRisdevelopingaGISbasedtooltoassiststateandlocalprogramswiththeseefforts)

• Incorporategreenspaceandwateraccessintoredevelopmentplanningandnewdevelopmentregulations.

For more information on MDPartnershipforChildreninNature visit dnr.maryland.gov/cin/nps/