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“It is not half so important to know as to feel.

If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. …

Once the emotions have been aroused — a sense of the beautiful, the excitement of the new and the unknown, a feeling of sympathy, pity, admiration, or love — then we wish for knowledge about the object of our emotional response.” Rachel Carson

As an outdoor and environmental educator, these words resonate with me. I “know” this deeply — from taking my charges into the midst of nature for more than four decades. Having them directly experience its intricate beauty and interconnections.

Memorable moments. Powerful, lasting connections. Experiential encounters that, as research overwhelmingly shows, convert such encounters into lifelong proenvironmental behaviours. If you directly connect, you care. You feel empathy and responsibility. You are driven to act on behalf of our amazing natural world. You want to address the big issues like climate change.

We are undergoing an extinction of experience. This threatens all life on earth. As parents and grandparents, we must take our kids outdoors … not just send them outside. As taxpayers, we must vigorously support outdoor and environmental education in our schools. As individuals, we should also “get out.” A necessity, not a frill.

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