Orange County, New York: Two Orange County mothers, Laurel Dodge, an environmental educator, and Kathleen Diamond, a Teacher of the Deaf, love taking their children outdoors. They found it surprising, however, that on trail after trail their families hiked alone. Speculating that many parents longed for an easy-going stroll with their young children they decided to offer a nature strollers group through their local Audubon Society chapter. The mission of the Nature Strollers is to support parents and grandparents in their role as primary interpreters of nature for their families; to provide opportunities for families to enjoy unstructured time outdoors; to familiarize families with local trails, refuges, sanctuaries and preserves; and to develop networks among families with a common interest in nature.

Flexibility is the hallmark of Nature Strollers. Weekly walks are planned to accommodate the schedules of the greatest number of group members. Trail difficulty is dependent on the ages and skills of the children, with toddler and stroller-friendly trails being the norm. The Nature Strollers have regular stroller outings in addition to jogging/all-terrain stroller days. Outing lengths are often under a mile and last about an hour. Kathleen and Laurel bring along various field guides, butterfly nets, binoculars and cameras so participants can truly experience and learn about their natural surroundings. The walks provide the excitement of discovery and enjoyment of nature study to families that may not do so on their own.

Though Nature Strollers is in its infancy, it has generated excitement and interest in the communities of the Orange County Audubon Society. Please feel free to visit the nature Strollers web site or email Laurel and Kathleen if you are interested in joining the Nature Strollers on their outings, or if you want to start one of these in your community.

info@naturestrollers.org
http://www.naturestrollers.org