Tom Sawyer style

Kids learn about nature at Adventure Day Camp

By Jeannie Stone

LITTLE ROCK — "Put your finger here," an innocent-looking camper told another. Just when the fellow complied, she wrapped twine around his finger and cinched tightly. "Ow!" he yelled, and laughed along with everybody else.

There were a lot of shenanigans among the 11 kids, 10 -13 years old, during the recent Adventure Camp held at Woolly Hollow State Park in Greenbrier, but as long as they were learning about nature, Park Interpreter Julie Lovett didn't mind.

Lovett has good reason to celebrate each nature bonding moment she witnesses. Promoting nature is her passion. "One out of three teenage kids spend 44 hours a week plugged into something," she said. As a professional steward of our naturalresources, Lovett joins others in park service who are dismayed with the declining number of park visitations. And, that is a nationwide phenomenon.

That concern led Lovett to put together several camps at the Greenbrier location. "Last year, young visitors at the park, joined me under the stars, We saw the biggest falling star. It practically fell on us. One of the kids said, 'Wow, Julie, do that again.' Not one of those kids had ever just laid on the summer grass and watched the stars or caught lightning bugs. We have a real disconnect going on there. We want to inspire that reconnection to nature."

There is ample evidence validating Lovett's concerns. "It's proven that kids exposed to the world of nature have curious minds, are better thinkers and are better stewards of our remaining resources," she said.

In 2005, Richard Louv, a journalist, wrote the national bestseller Last Child in the Woods for which he won the 2008 Audubon Medal by the National Audubon Society. In the book, Louv coined the phrase "nature-deficit disorder," which referred to the worldwide trend that "children are spending less time outdoors, resulting in a wide range of behavioral problems." Lovett said this book had a profound impact on her.

The adventure camp was a chance for Lovett to gain nature enthusiasts. She said she has observed kids visiting the park who could identify animalsin Africa because of the Discovery and Learning channels, but they were ignorant of what was living in their own backyards. "I remember growing up in my hometown in western Kentucky, and I owned those woods behind my house. I would pack a lunch and be gone the whole day. These woods belong to everybody. It's time for folks to claim their ownership."

The kids who attended the Adventure Camp were definitely communing with nature. During the session, they played in the mud, caught tadpoles, went on a nature hike and looked for creepy crawlies. The crÃme de la crÃme of the camp activities was the opportunity to build a raftusing river canes Lovett cut and brought in.

Lovett instructed the kids to cut and trim the 25-foot cane poles. They worked in two-person teams on either sides of the poles. "OK, guys," she said holding up a strap of grass twine and a pole. "First, you tie a knot, like this, and your teammate holds his or her finger in the center of it, like this. Then, you tie off the knot, pulling hard."

That's when the "ows" started flying with fingers trapped by eager cinchers. "Now, out in the wild we would use vines. That's what the Native Americans use," Lovett said. "Today, we are using grass vine I picked up at the farmers' co-op.

"What child doesn't want to build a raft?" Lovett asked.

The kids poured themselves into the project. "This is a lot ofhard work!" Marianne Burnett, 12, exclaimed as sweat dripped down her cheek. "Tying all those knots was a lot more complicated and a lot harder than it looks," she said.

Lovett then instructed the campers on the merits of using river cane which is an indigenous Arkansas grass. "See the nodules on the poles?" she asked the kids. "It's hollow in between them. That's why this plant makes a perfect material to use for building a raft. That hollowness makes the raft buoyant. And another thing, the Native Americans used these river-cane poles to make flutes. Once you drill the holes, thehollow cavity allows the air to travel and vibrate."

After six hours of laboring over the raft, factoring in a generous lunch and swimming break, and using 465 feet of grass twine used for lashing the poles together, the product was ready for a test float.

"All we need is a Wilson, like on Castaway," Lovett said, "and we'd be in good shape." All kidding aside, Lovett whispered, "If we were truly stranded on a deserted island, we would have to send one person for help because our raft probably wouldn't make it with two people on board."

Much to the delight of the crew, however, the raft floated, and each person made a maidenvoyage floating under the mast of handmade flags. Robyn Burnett, 9, was a bit leery about floating the raft alone, although she was excited to see her flag flying on the mast.

"My flag has my name on it," she said, "and smiley faces and polka dots all around. I was kinda scared. But my sister went before me, and she's a lot heavier than I am. Since she didn't sink, I figured I'd be OK."

Lovett hopes the memory of these outing will remain with the kids and become, in the words of naturalist Robert Michael Pyle, a "place of initiation" where they may have first sensed with awe and wonder the largeness of the world. To help hang on to the memory, Lovett sends each camper home with a section of river-cane pole.

Upcoming events

at Woolly Hollow SATURDAY, SEPT. 13 Making Memories (Dedication of Wayside Exhibits) Celebration of the 75th anniversary of Arkansas State Parks.

Public invited to bring memories of their camp experiences to

share. Free Admission.

SATURDAY, OCT. 25, AND SUNDAY, OCT. 26 "Raising a Wild Child" Workshop This two-day program will provide families the opportunity

to explore and learn together.

Admission: $75; space is limited/reservations required.

SATURDAY, NOV. 1◊7 -11 P.M.

Sunset Symphony and Star Party Bring your blankets for a sunset symphony of music followed

by stargazing. The Central Arkansas Astronomical Society will

set up telescopes for people to view the different celestial bodies

and be on hand to answer questions.

For more information on activities at Woolly Hollow State

Park, call (501) 679-2098 or visit www.arkansasstateparks.com,

or e-mail woollyhollow@arkansas.com.

River Valley Ozark, Pages 66 on 07/24/2008