KAEE 50th Annual Conference

This presentation charts 35 years of lessons learned from research and practice about how to assemble coalitions that support young people’s connection to nature and participation in civic action. It begins with two projects for the Kentucky Oral History Commission which indicated that connecting to local nature and places in childhood can motivate lives of committed care for the environment. This insight raises the question: How can we create effective coalitions of researchers, local governments, schools, and community organizations to ensure that young people have access to local community resources, including nearby nature, as well as a role in their conservation and enhancement? It shares practical experiences gained through the international Growing Up in Cities Program of UNESCO, the Growing Up Boulder initiative in Colorado, and an informal alliance, KINship (Kids in Nature), that works to ensure equitable access to nature for all city residents.