Author Louv coined the term Nature-Deficit Disorder in his 2005 book

Redlands, Ca – San Bernardino County Museum and Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio are joining forces to host a talk by internationally recognized author Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, a classic first published in April 2005. Louv will speak on March 8 as part of the Museum’s 2018 Dome Talks speaker series.

Richard Louv is credited with helping to inspire an international movement to reintroduce children to nature. He coined the term “nature-deficit disorder” to describe possible negative consequences to individual health and the social fabric as children move indoors and away from physical contact with the natural world – particularly unstructured, solitary experience. His groundbreaking research pointed to attention disorders, obesity, a dampening of creativity and depression as problems associated with a nature-deficient childhood.

At the time of publication The Washington Post wrote: “[The] national movement to ‘leave no child inside’ . . . has been the focus of Capitol Hill hearings, state legislative action, grass-roots projects, a U.S. Forest Service initiative to get more children into the woods and a national effort to promote a ‘green hour’ in each day. . . . The increased activism has been partly inspired by a best-selling book, Last Child in the Woods, and its author, Richard Louv.” The newspaper of the American Public Health Association, The Nation’s Health, proclaimed the book “is helping drive a movement quickly flourishing across the nation,” as it described “a generation so plugged into electronic diversions that it has lost its connection to the natural world.”

Cynthia H. Breunig, President & CEO of Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio, said, “The Museum, with its renowned natural history collections, and Girl Scouts, with more than 100 years of experience in outdoor education, recognize that nature is essential to the health and character development of all children and young adults. When a girl or boy experiences the joy of sleeping under the stars and of telling stories around camp fires late into the dark, quiet night, their lives are changed forever. They become connected to the natural flow and rhythm of nature; they become connected in a profound way to something larger than themselves. Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council is committed to continuing our legacy of camp and outdoor fun. This commitment recently led to the purchase of Skyland Ranch, in the San Jacinto Mountains, where we are creating a world-class camp and outdoor education program for Girl Scouts and for San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.”

Museum Director, Melissa Russo said, “More than a decade after Louv’s brilliant social observations, our society continues to struggle with a severe lack of child engagement with the outdoors, but there’s hopeful signs that his book helped spawn behavioral shifts in how families spend their leisure time. We see this in the popularity of museum programs that highlight nature topics.”

Dome Talks are evening discussions that feature leading authors and thought leaders discussing topics relevant to the past, present, and future of our Inland Southern California. This year’s lineup emphasizes the seismic shifts, social changes and environmental forces that have affected the lives of Californians. Dome Talks start at 6:30 p.m. with light refreshments provided by the San Bernardino County Museum Association. Talks begin promptly at 7 p.m. with book sales and signing following.

Individual tickets for Dome Talks are $25 per evening. No discounts apply for this presentation. Tickets may be purchased at the Museum’s welcome desk, by calling the Museum at (909) 798-8608, or on-line at www.sbcounty.gov/museum. Advance ticket purchases are recommended because seating is limited.

Founded in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low, Girl Scouts sparked a worldwide movement inspiring girls to embrace, together, their individuality, strength, and intellect. The mission is to “build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.” In 2015, Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council purchased Skyland Ranch in the San Jacinto Mountains to provide an outdoor education experience for girls in the Inland Southern California and Greater Los Angeles regions.

The San Bernardino County Museum’s Dome Talks and other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture, and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.

The San Bernardino County Museum is at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.sbcounty.gov/museum. The museum is accessible to persons with disabilities.