BACK TO NATURE
A Unified Conservation Message
Arthur R. Marshall Foundation, Palm Beach Zoo & South Florida Science Museum Unite to Host Public Events on March 25, 2011 with RICHARD LOUV, Author of Last Child in the Woods
(West Palm Beach, FL – January 26, 2010) For the first time ever – three of Palm Beach County’s leading environmental and educational nonprofits are joining together for a specific campaign.
The Arthur R. Marshall Foundation, the Palm Beach Zoo and the South Florida Science Museum will be co-hosting several BACK TO NATURE events on Friday, March 25, featuring Richard Louv, author of the groundbreaking book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.
WHY:
Remember when kids played outdoors after school, on weekends and all day long during the summer? Playing ball in the vacant lot down the block, climbing trees, exploring nearby fields, hiking and fishing with friends…
Today’s young people are housebound, plopped in front of a TV or computer, growing fatter and more lethargic, completely disconnected from their natural environment.
WHAT:
Deep concern about this worsening generational crisis has motivated these three major nonprofit organizations in West Palm Beach to join forces to host several public events on March 25 with author Richard Louv.
The events include a press conference with Mr. Louv at the Palm Beach Zoo with children asking some of the questions, and a special BACK TO NATURE luncheon at the Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach.
Both events will be co-hosted by the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation, which champions the restoration and preservation of the greater Everglades ecosystem; the Palm Beach Zoo, a zoological organization located in Dreher Park that houses more than 1,400 animals within 23 acres of lush, tropical habitat; and the neighboring South Florida Science Museum, which features more than 50 hands-on exhibits, a digital planetarium, freshwater and saltwater aquariums, as well as natural history exhibitions.
WHEN & WHERE:
Friday, March 25, 2011
+ 10 a.m. – Press Conference with Richard Louv
With questions asked by both children and reporters
At the Palm Beach Zoo – Tropics Café Deck
1301 Summit Boulevard in West Palm Beach
+ Noon – BACK TO NATURE Luncheon
At the Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach
WHO:
Richard Louv is a journalist and author of seven books about the connections between family, nature and community. His most recent book, LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, which has been translated into nine languages and published in 13 countries. He is also the chairman and cofounder of Children & Nature Network (www.childrenandnature.org).
In 2008, Louv was awarded the Audubon Medal from the National Audubon Society. He has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Times of London and other major publications, and has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, the CBS Evening News and several programs on NPR, including Morning Edition, Fresh Air and Talk of the Nation.
QUOTE FROM LAST CHILD IN THE WOOD:
“Just as children need good nutrition and adequate sleep, they may very well need contact with nature. Reducing the (Nature-Deficit Disorder) – healing the broken bond between our young and nature – is in our self-interest, not only because aesthetics or justice demands it, but also because our mental, physical and spiritual health depends upon it. The health of the earth is at stake as well.”
About the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation:
Based in Palm Beach County, the Marshall Foundation champions the restoration and preservation of the greater Everglades ecosystem through science-based education and outreach programs. Annually, more than 8,300 elementary and high school students in Palm Beach County actively participate in the Marshall Foundation’s various education programs.
Founded in 1998, the nonprofit organization has in recent years awarded more than $400,000 in scholarships and internships, planted nearly 100,000 native Florida trees in wetland areas, and involved more than 5,000 volunteers in hands-on restoration projects. For more information about the Marshall Foundation, please call 561.805.8733 or visit www.artmarshall.com.
About the Palm Beach Zoo:
The Palm Beach Zoo is a non-profit zoological organization located in Dreher Park in West Palm Beach, housing more than 1,400 animals within 23 acres of lush, tropical habitat. Its mission is protect wildlife and wildlife habitat, and to inspire others to value and conserve the natural world. The zoo currently sponsors many conservation projects in numerous regions of the world focusing on animals that are represented in the zoo’s population.
Palm Beach Zoo is located at 1301 Summit Boulevard, just east of I-95 between Southern and Forest Hill Boulevards. Regular zoo admission: Adults $16.95, Seniors 60+ $14.95, Children 3-12 $11.95, under 3 years and Zoo Members are free. For more information regarding the Palm Beach Zoo, please visit www.palmbeachzoo.org.
About the South Florida Science Museum:
The South Florida Science Museum provides curious minds of all ages with an entertaining and educational journey through science and technology. Located in West Palm Beach, the museum features more than 50 hands-on exhibits, a digital planetarium, freshwater and saltwater aquariums, as well as natural history exhibitions. Each year the museum welcomes more than 120,000 visitors and reaches more than 55,000 students through workshops at the museum and outreach programs to local schools. Established in 1961, the museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to exciting curiosity and furthering the understanding and appreciation of science and technology.
The South Florida Science Museum is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North in West Palm Beach. Admission is always FREE for Museum Members, and the admission price for Non-Members is $11.95 for Adults, $10.45 for Seniors, and $8.95 for Children (ages 3-12). For more information about the South Florida Science Museum and “Nights at the Museum” please call 561-832-1988 or visit www.sfsm.org.
Attached Jpeg:
(IDs are L-R – Photo by Corby Kaye, Studio Palm Beach)
Lew Crampton of the South Florida Science Museum, Nancy Marshall of the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation and Terry L. Maple of the Palm Beach Zoo.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Arthur R. Marshall Foundation
Gary Schweikhart
PR-BS, Inc.
561.756.4298
Palm Beach Zoo
Cheryl Crowley
ImMEDIAcy PR
561.776.7659
South Florida Science Museum
Kelly Husak
Slatkow & Husak PR
561.278.0850