Richard Louv (born 1949) is an American
non-fiction author and
journalist. He is best known for his seventh book, ''
Last Child in the Woods
''Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder'' is a 2005 book by author Richard Louv that documents decreased exposure of children to nature in American society and how this " nature-deficit disorder" harms children ...
: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder'' (first published in 2005 by
Algonquin Books
Workman Publishing Company, Inc., is an American publisher of trade books founded by Peter Workman. The company is comprised of either imprints: Workman, Workman Children’s, Workman Calendars, Artisan, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill and Algon ...
of Chapel Hill), which investigates the relationship of children and the natural world in current and historical contexts.
[Berenyi, Valerie (2011)]
Connecting kids with nature
, '' Vancouver Sun'', June 26, 2011, retrieved 2011-07-11 Louv created the term "
nature-deficit disorder
Nature-deficit disorder is the idea that human beings, especially children, are spending less time outdoors than they have in the past, and the belief that this change results in a wide range of behavioral problems. This disorder is not recognize ...
" to describe possible negative consequences to individual health and the social fabric as children move indoors and away from physical contact with the natural world – particularly unstructured, solitary experience.
[Henley, Jon (2010)]
Richard Louv: Let them climb trees
, '' The Guardian'', 5 June 2010, retrieved 2011-07-11 Louv cites research pointing to attention disorders,
obesity, a dampening of creativity and
depression as problems associated with a nature-deficient
childhood. He amassed information on the subject from practitioners of many disciplines to make his case, and is commonly credited with helping to inspire an international movement to reintroduce children to nature.
Career
Louv was a columnist for ''
The San Diego Union-Tribune'' newspaper between 1984 and 2007, its last manifestation titled "The Future’s Edge." His essay, on the division of nature and humanity, is renowned for its idealism. He has been a columnist and member of the editorial advisory board for ''
Parents'' magazine and a Ford Foundation Leadership for a Changing World award program adviser. He also was an adviser for the National Scientific Council on the Developing Chil
He currently is honorary co-chair of The National Forum on Children and Natur
which is co-chaired by four state governors, a visiting scholar at
Clemson University, and chairman and co-founder of the Children & Nature Network,
a
non-profit organization.
In 2008, the
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organ ...
awarded Louv its highest honor, the Audubon Medal. He was the 2007 recipient of
Clemson University's Cox Award for "sustained achievement in public service", and received the Paul K. Petzoldt Award from the Wilderness Education Association.
The
U.S. Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...
, and associations such as the
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is an environmental organization with chapters in all 50 United States, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The club was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by Scottish-American preservationist John Muir, who be ...
,
The Trust for Public Land, and
The Nature Conservancy, have cited Louv's book.
Bibliography
* ''America II'' (Penguin, 1983)
* ''Childhood's Future'' (Anchor Books, 1993)
* ''101 Things You Can Do for Our Children's Future'' (Anchor, 1994)
* ''Fatherlove'' (Pocket Books, 1994)
* ''The Web of Life'' (Conari Press, 1996)
* ''Fly-Fishing for Sharks: An American Journey'' (Simon & Schuster, 2000)
* ''
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder'' (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2005)
* ''The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder'' (Algonquin Books, 2011)
* ''Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life'' (Algonquin Books, 2016)
* ''Our Wild Calling: How Connecting with Animals Can Transform Our Lives — and Save Theirs'' (Workman, 2019)
References
External links
Richard Louv Official WebsiteToday Show July 16, 2008.
Morning Edition, National Public Radio May 25, 2005
KQED May 12, 2008
San Diego Union-TribuneChildren & Nature Network (C&NN)National Scientific Council on the Developing ChildPublic School Insights Interview with Louv Posted April 22, 2008
{{DEFAULTSORT:Louv, Richard
Living people
1949 births
American columnists
Biophilia hypothesis