Interview With Richard Louv – Author Of Our Wild Calling, Last Child In The Woods

Staten Islander News sat down with Richard Louv, long-time naturalist and scientist, to discuss his books and his work with children, nature, and animals.  (You can read the review of Last Child In the Woods and Our Wild Calling here). Richard Louv helps kids and their parents learn more about the world outside, including wild animals and their profound impact on the lives of humans.  Whether it is a coyote walking down the streets of a city, a random encounter with a bear or other wildlife, or even an experience with a predator that is eerily positive and harmless, the human world and animal world are connected.  

Humans must learn to share the world with other creatures. The animals aren’t going anywhere – and we should not want them to leave. That type of thinking is the old way. Nature was an enemy, something outside of us, that was best avoided or even destroyed.

Richard speaks about many different topics in the interview, but one thing that keeps coming up over and over is the value of nature interactions for kids and adults alike. Such interactions have been shown to measurably reduce depression, in both kids and the elderly. It has also been shown to give people that sense of belonging that they seek.

When he began his research for the first book, Last Child In The Woods, there were only sixty studies that could be found on the benefits to children of exposure to nature. Now, after an explosion of interest in the topic, there are over a thousand studies on the topic. The most complete list can be found at Richard’s website at childrenandnature.org

Richard Louv has a lot of hope for the future of our children. He has seen many changes over time, including to the way that people see themselves and see the natural world. People’s perceptions are changing, and with that, our world will change.

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People CAN bring back the bees, they can bring back the wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions, and they will still face the same dangers they faced before, perhaps with a few new ones. Just look at Florida, where people live side-by-side with some of the most dangerous animals that exist – crocodiles! And they still manage to survive each day, with almost no one being eaten by alligators.

That doesn’t mean they should close their eyes and pretend that they aren’t dangerous. But, research has shown that the animals, including predators, are generally busy leading their own lives, seeking out their own prey. When humans live in the natural world, instead of setting themselves against it, they will all benefit – both humans and the animals they live among.

Life is never easy,and it is never completely safe. Vigilance and awareness are humanity’s best tools for survival, now and always. Watch this inspiring interview to learn more about the amazing work that Richard and his colleagues are doing.

Hannah Moller