by Jackie Ostfeld and Monica Lopez Magee Youth environmental activists hike in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. in May 2022.Photo by Chris Rief As we enter the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, children and youth continue to face upheavals in their family, social, and educational lives. Their daily routines are disrupted by exposure alerts and quarantines, [...]
Category: Blogs
How a Young Generation of Outdoors Leaders Are Expanding Access to Nature
by Jackie Ostfeld, OAK Founder & Chair Rep. Jimmy Gomez (center) meets with youth leaders and members of the Outdoors Alliance for Kids on May 18, 2022. (Photo courtesy of Jackie Ostfeld) Sunshine and 80 degrees in Washington, DC – you couldn’t have asked for a better day to talk about the importance of nature. [...]
My one wish is that every child has the RIGHT to outdoor access and public lands
by Tigran Nahabedian, OAK Advisor Time in nature teaches important lessons and skills, and is vital to our children's development. But right now, access to parks and public lands is not equal across our communities, and climate change is increasingly affecting the green spaces we do have. One hundred million people in the US - [...]
[RE-BLOG] The Outdoors Alliance for Kids is Pushing for National Change
This blog was written by and originally published by the National Recreation Foundation The Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK) is a coalition of organizations from across the country that are united around the common cause of getting kids outside and more connected to nature. Committed to multi-sector collaboration, strategic partnerships, and justice, equity, and inclusion, OAK is [...]
[RE-BLOG] Our Youth Are in Crisis — They Need the Outdoors
February 3, 2022 By Jackie Ostfeld This blog was originally posted on SierraClub.org. Photo courtesy of Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management. For nearly two years, children and youth have seen their family, social, and educational lives disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has cut young people off from their support networks, and rates [...]
Senate Hearing Demonstrates Continued Bipartisan Support for Policy that Connects Children, Youth and Families with the Outdoors
December 8, 2021 By Jayni Rasmussen, Senior Campaign Representative, OAK As the Build Back Better Act moves through Congress, carrying with it billions in potential funding for outdoor access, the Senate is now considering an historic slate of bills that could transform who has access to public lands and waters. Last week, the Senate Energy and [...]
[RE-BLOG]: Congresswoman Nanette Barragán: “Build Back Better Must Include Our Parks”
September 1, 2021 By Congresswoman Nanette Barragán and Jackie Ostfeld This blog was originally posted on SierraClub.org. Featured photo courtesy of the National Park Service. Summer and the outdoors go hand-in-hand, and nowhere is that felt more than in our parks. From hikes through ancient forests to weekend cookouts with friends to soccer or Little League games, our parks are [...]
[Re-Blog] Congresswoman Katie Porter: “After a Year Indoors, We Must Support Every Kid Outdoors”
August 25, 2021 By Congresswoman Katie Porter and Jayni Rasmussen This blog was originally posted on SierraClub.org. Featured photo: Big Bend at Zion National Park, courtesy Cadence C. Cook, National Park Service. Representative Katie Porter, one of the authors of this blog, knows firsthand the joy of the outdoors. Growing up, her family took vacations at national parks [...]
Watch Now: OAK’s Youth Advocates on REI’s Instagram Stories!
This afternoon, OAK Steering Committee member REI Co-op posted on their Instagram account our collaborative story series featuring a Q&A with two of OAK's amazing youth advocates, Robbie Bond of Kids Speak for Parks and Junior Ranger Tigran Nahabedian! In the stories, Robbie and Tigran both make an incredible case for full funding for the Every Kid Outdoors [...]
Why We Need Public Transit to Public Lands
guest blog by Katherine Garcia and Jackie Ostfeld, originally posted on the Sierra Club blog Photo by iStock/Oleksandr Filon If you look for directions from Washington, D.C. to Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park on Google Maps, it will chart a route for your car down to the minute. If you try to find that same route [...]
Outdoors Alliance for Kids 