Florida Youth Conservation Centers
Proud Partners with:
Thanks for the leadership Beau!
Over the past decade the proportion of children 9 to 12 who spent time in activities like hiking, walking, and fishing declined by 50%. Not surprising, since a new 2009 national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that the amount of time young people spend with entertainment media continues to rise dramatically, especially among minority youth. This is bad news for the health of the next generation, who experts predict might well be the first generation of Americans with a life expectancy shorter than their parents.
It might also be the first generation of Americans to abandon conservation, because the most dedicated conservationists are those who spend time outdoors. They might be boaters, bike riders, bird watchers, hikers, hunters, anglers, wildlife enthusiasts, or simply folks who enjoy an occasional picnic or walk on a beach or through the woods. No matter what they like to do, they all have one thing in common—a love of being outdoors and engaged in outdoor activities. Without them, we have no one who cares.
We can reverse this disastrous trend. We can form a Private-Public partnership and work together to make the Florida Youth Conservation Center Network (FYCC) a reality.
The FYCC Network is a crucial element in Florida’s conservation strategy for the future. That’s why the Wildlife Foundation of Florida is spearheading the fund-raising effort for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC).
The Role of the FYCC
Designed to help youngsters develop or increase their outdoor activities and skills, programs offered at the Centers will include fishing clinics, hunter safety classes, habitat restoration, bird identification, summer camps, weekend events, and many other opportunities to learn about
wildlife, natural habitats and fish-and-wildliferelated recreation.
Currently there are only four Youth Conservation Centers in Florida. The newest is the outstanding Beau Turner Youth Conservation Center near Tallahassee, which is part of the Beau Turner Initiative. This is the model on which the FYCC Network will build its “Wild Outdoors” centers. Other centers will be based on a “Near Outdoors” model:
- The “Wild Outdoors” is defined as deep woods experiences, like those offered at facilities such as the Ocala Youth Camp, and the Everglades Youth Camp, as well as the Beau Turner Center.
- The “Near Outdoors” is defined as potential outdoor experiences that are closest to the children in their communities. These might include a fishing pond or pier, an archery program, a local birding trail, a habitat class being taught in the schools or youth clubs, just to mention a few.
Ideally, to be fully utilized, most of the Florida Youth Conservation Centers should be within a
45-minute drive of the metropolitan area to be served. Near Outdoors Centers can incorporate
existing community and school programs and facilities. Wild Outdoors Centers will have to be constructed, so location will be dependent up a number of factors, like availability of land and
generosity of donors.
Universal Benefits
There are obvious health benefits to youngsters who are physically active and spend more time in the outdoors:
- Children with symptoms of ADHD have improved concentration after spending time in nature.
- Children who spend time playing in nature display overall better coordination, balance and agility, and are sick less often.
- Children who engage in outdoor physical activities have a much lower incidence of obesity and its ancillary diseases.
There are less obvious, but equally important benefits to all of us:
- It helps children develop a love of and affinity for the great outdoors
- It encourages a strong interest in preserving nature, and safeguarding its diversity
- It creates the next generation of conservationists
Why are these so important? Because there must be a next generation that cares and will continue the work of protecting our wildlife and natural habitats—or there won’t be any.
Map of Proposed Florida Youth Conservation Center Locations
No Margin for Failure
We must face up to these challenges or risk a generation of Floridians growing up disconnected
from Florida’s spectacular wild places and with no sense of connection to a conservation lifestyle. The last several decades have taught us that State government is neither willing nor able to make a consistent, sustainable investment in youth outreach. While the Foundation will
seek to leverage all available non-profit, state, federal and local government funding sources, the primary funding MUST come from the private sector and individual donors—and the funds needed will be substantial. Standing on the sidelines and cheering is no longer an option for traditional conservationists. This is a call to action; to volunteer, to donate time, resources,
influence, ideas, or dollars, whatever you can, to this effort.
$10 DONATION
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$25 DONATION
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OTHER DONATION
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All gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law.
Links to Other FYCC Files
FYCC Brochure (42.53MB PDF file)
FYCC Programmatic Concept Map (1.5MB JPG file)
FYCC New Generation Ad (1.94MB PDF file)
FYCC Strategy and Implementation Plan (1.3MB DOC file)
FYCC Video (PC) (49.8MB WMV file)
Volunteer to Assist the FYCC
Please Join Us, call 1-800-988-4889 or sign up below.
