Don't forget to include your youth when conducting survey
efforts and getting input from your stakeholders. Youth can
have different preferences, as indicated in the youth pilot
studies outlined in Chapter 4. It's important to account for
those differences in your outdoor recreation planning process.
How do I get more nature-based or natural resource
science education happening in my community?
As a community member or recreation
professional, you may have experienced the
difficulty of trying to get into schools to teach
children about nature and natural resource
education to get them outdoors. However,
there are ways to encourage youth and young
adults to explore and understand the value
of nature-based or natural resource science
education. Below are a few tips on how
to get started.
• Work with local parks departments to
install interpretive signage focusing on
natural resources, wildlife or nature along
trails or park walkways.
• Offer virtual learning opportunities or take
advantage of the NGPC Virtual Educational
Opportunities that have been created due
to COVID-19 at OutdoorNebraska.gov/
OnlineEducation
• Coordinate a community-wide challenge to
spend 10 hours per week outside. Participants
will be entered in a chance to win a prize.
• Develop a summer to-do outdoor
recreation and education list for children.
Children who complete at least 10 outdoor
learning activities will receive a prize or be
invited to an end-of summer pool party.
• Coordinate and implement a family nature
night with the local school, after-school
program, community center, church or
civic organization.
• Host parent-child workshops within the
park to encourage parents to explore
nature with their children.
• Work with summer programs, after-school
programs or schools to implement more
conservation or nature-based education in
their programs and curricula.
» For more information on conservation
or nature-based education, visit
NebraskaProjectWild.org.
• Plan and implement a community bioblitz
to take place in a local park or nearby state
park; or coordinate a community-wide
bioblitz, which includes the whole town or
surrounding communities.
• Work with local parks departments
or community groups to create an
outdoor classroom in a public park.
Outdoor classrooms are more than just a
playground - they include weather stations,
areas for exploring natural phenomena,
equipment for natural discovery, table and
chairs for further investigations, etc. For
more information on outdoor classrooms,
visit NebraskaProjectWild.org.
• Work with local experts or surrounding
communities to teach classes focusing
on outdoor recreation, natural resources
or conservation education. Classes could
be taught at the local community center,
library, school, after-school program
or summer camp.
88 2 0 2 1 - 2 0 2 5 S TAT E W I D E C O M P R E H E N S I V E O U T D O O R R E C R E AT I O N P L A N
What is a bioblitz? A bioblitz is where groups of
scientists, naturalists, and community volunteers
survey living species within a designated area over
a specified time frame. For more information on
bioblitzes, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/Bioblitz.
HOW-TO
DON'T
FORGET!
