I would add that hope includes fur, fins, branches, and all the other living parts of nature. We Auduboners love being outdoors, in nature. But more important, we want to awaken the wonder, knowledge, and hope of nature in others. We start with our local Audubon Centers. We already have almost 50 of them, and we plan to establish 1,000 by the year 2020, serving one in every four schoolchildren each year.
Every child deserves the opportunity to connect with nature.
I grew up on a family farm, with ample opportunity to roam around outdoors and discover nature. As a boy, E.O. Wilson was absorbed by the bugs in Washington, D.C.'s Rock Creek Park, which led him to become the world's preeminent biologist and a prominent voice for conservation. Most environmentalists I know trace their passion for nature back to their early experiences outdoors. Now we call it environmental education. But it's essential.