Post on 05-Jul-2020
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/