Eco-Educate: Kids are never too young to learn about conservation, and local educators and programs are here to help

I can thank my proactive Girl Scout leaders back in 1980-something for prying my couch potato buns off the sofa to drag me through the woods, with the hopes that I would appreciate nature.

Back then, “conservation” wasn’t a trendy vocabulary word in our societal lexicon. But every permission slip contained nods to a smaller carbon footprint, like walking and carpooling to destinations, and my favorite adage: “Take only pictures. Leave only memories.”

Today’s scout leaders and other educators have a stellar range of conservation programming in the Harrisburg area designed for children pre-K to age 18, and an internet browser to easily connect with those programs. Looking beyond Harrisburg’s big backyard, there are scads of state and local parks, and national parks if you’re willing to road-trip.

But even if you take the “shoe leather express,” a.k.a. my scout leader’s clever phrase for “walking,” you don’t have to trek far to find green spaces for fun activities like fossil hunts, nature hikes and outdoor sports like kayaking, rock climbing, clay shooting and even disc golf.

Anthea Stebbins, director of Dauphin County Parks & Recreation, who is just as proactive as my former scout leader, keeps the community calendar overflowing with low-cost and free events focusing on Pennsylvania ecology and environmental literacy. For every age and level of adventurer, you’ll find a steady stream of interactive workshops and presentations focused on nature topics kids can feel excited about.

Emily Rosmus, director of educational programming for the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Millersburg (another proactive educator), swears by water as the hot conservation topic that most stirs excitement in the kids she teaches. Learning about water doesn’t just happen in a classroom through worksheets and coloring pages. Kids go into a creek to catch debris downstream, pH-sample to test water’s contents and quality, and observe dragonflies in their lifecycles while creepy-crawlies swim around their ankles.

It’s small group sessions that Rosmus considers core for outreach on good conservation practices, fostering kids’ curiosity and a love for the environment.

“We connect with many of the same kids year to year, over and over, connecting them with their surroundings,” she said. “We want them to take their lessons home with them and apply them to their own lives—recycling, mindfulness, openness, planting pollinators in their own yards.”

Educators present age-relevant lessons that strike a balance between trying to remove kids’ fears, keeping them safe, inspiring curiosity, and teaching kids not to disturb animals’ homes. This can be a challenge when teaching about natural things that might be dangerous, like snakes or mushrooms.

“If kids understand how those scary things fit into the overall ecosystem, they may feel less fearful,” Rosmus said.

On water or on land, the most important lesson to impart to children is, “Respect whatever we come across. There are plants and animals living in the trees, rocks, the cracks,” Rosmus said. “When we enter someone else’s home environment, it’s a privilege to explore that space.” 

Planting Seeds

For an enriching experience that fosters a true sense of stewardship, Dauphin County Parks & Recreation offers community gardens. By renting a pre-tilled, 900-square foot plot for only $20 per season, your child can take their food through its entire lifecycle, creating their very own farm-to-table experience. And they can use so many of the lessons and materials they’ve collected from other complementary programs. Sustainability, yes?

Michelle McKeown, program and community engagement manager, sees many families gardening together—even one great-grandmother who bonds with her great-grandchildren while they all bond with mother nature.

“Teaching kids about conservation through our community gardens helps them connect with the earth in a hands-on way,” she said. “It turns abstract ideas into real-life action—planting seeds, saving water, composting—and shows them that they have the power to care for the planet, right where they live.”

Speaking of bonding together, Dauphin County Parks & Rec partnered with the Pennsylvania Game Commission recently to offer an all-ages program on the importance of responsible stewardship and preserving Pennsylvania’s natural habitats. As an interactive part of the lesson, kids were able to touch the different animal pelts inside Warden Madeline Delly’s “fur bag.” Delly also shared a lesson on safety on state game lands, her responsibilities as a game warden, and a special lesson on springtime.

Whether a conservation organization is government-based or nonprofit, all strive to keep costs low to keep their programs inclusive and accessible. For their own sustainability, they rely on a combination of grants, fundraising donations, volunteers and partnerships. So, when you see that bucket by the door on your way home from making a bird box, please give as you’re able.

Looking back, I’m grateful my scout leader prodded me outside, even if their encouragement started out as a pitchfork wedged into my back. Want to chase your own kids outside and encourage them to be conservation-minded? These are some suggested sources for free materials and diverse environmental programming. (Psst… In addition to free educational materials and natural art supplies, you may even be able to borrow specialized equipment, like binoculars, outdoor equipment or raingear, if you ask the right people. If you want to borrow a pitchfork, contact my Girl Scout leaders.)

For more information on the Ned Smith Center, visit www.nedsmithcenter.org.

Dauphin County’s two community gardens are located at 1501 Elmerton Ave. and at the corner of Sycamore Drive and Dogwood Avenue, Harrisburg. To find out more about the county’s programming, visit www.dauphincounty.gov/government/support-services/parks-recreation.

For more information on the PA Game Commission, visit www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc.html.

To learn more about conservation, visit the PA Wildlife Federation at www.pawildlife.org.

Stories on environmental topics are proudly sponsored by LCSWMA.

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