©John L. Beath Pacific Northwest fisheries biologists imprint juvenile salmon and steelhead to segments of river to protect native stocks or create population diversity within the river, especially with hatchery fish. They know through science and experience that these anadromous fish, planted in pre-determined pools of the river will permanently imprint the location on their brains. After spending months in the river foraging for food in their relocated segment of river, they head out to sea to grow into adulthood. As adults, the urge to spawn brings them back to their natal river, and if artificially imprinted, right back to the pre-determined pool fisheries managers released them. This imprinting technique helps control where fish return and can help foster new sport fisheries too, because they know a percentage of fish will return to a certain area. Our kids are like these juvenile fish and need imprinting too, if we expect them to appreciate the outdoors, nature, conservation and the values and enjoyment of fishing. A recent study from Cornell University suggests that environmentalism is born into children exposed to nature before the age of 11. Getting our youth outdoors could be the key to our nation’s environmental health as well as the future of sport fishing.
Cornell University’s Nancy Wells, an environmental psychologist and assistant professor of design and environmental analysis in the College of Human Ecology, and research associate, Kristi Lekies, examined and analyzed data from a 1998 U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service survey. The Survey examined youth nature experiences and subsequent adult environmentalism. A sampling of more than 2,000 adult Americans, ages 18 to 90, detailed their early youth nature experiences and their present day adult behaviors and attitudes concerning the environment. The study clearly found that “wild” nature activities in youth directly correlate to adult behaviors and attitudes to the environment. The researchers also found that “domesticated” nature activities like gardening had a positive relationship to adult environmental attitudes, but the effects of domestic nature activities did not have as strong an effect as fishing and hunting, playing in the woods, hiking, walking or camping. “When children become truly engaged with the natural world at a young age, the experience is likely to stay with them in a powerful way – shaping their subsequent environmental path, explains Wells. The study clearly showed that kids participating in wild nature activities, including fishing, before age 11, would create a strong pathway in shaping environmental behaviors and attitudes into their adulthood. This pre-pubescent time for kids, from toddler to age 11, is the best time to imprint them to activities like fishing, boating, camping and conservation. Pre-pubescent kids also learn foreign languages much easier according to several studies. During adolescent years, kids use different parts of the brain for different functions such as language. Post pubescent years, as indicated by these studies, make it much more difficult for our youth to learn languages or the value of getting outdoors and environmentalism. Well’s also says that nature around a home can help protect kids from stress and it boosts cognitive functioning. She also says that mandatory nature-related activities do not have the same effects as free play in nature, without demands and restrictions posed by others. A University of Illinois study also suggests that “nature play” might be good therapy for kids with ADHD. Richard Louv’s recent book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder backs up what these studies say. While at an outdoor writer’s conference recently, Louv said Americans raise their kids under “house arrest.” He also explained that many parents have a fear of their kids going outdoors because a stranger might abduct them. Louv blamed the national media for taking the same horrific crimes against kids and telling the story repeatedly. While the media continues to scare parents into not letting them enjoy outdoor activities, like fishing, without an adult present for fear of abduction, the exact opposite is in fact true. A 2005 Duke University Child Well Being Index says American kids are the safest they have been at any time since 1975. Specifically, violence against kids has dropped more than 38 percent. Louv also said kids do not bike much lately, for either transportation or recreation. As a result, bike sales have gone down 31 percent in the last five years. A lack of outdoor activities for our kids has caused an obesity problem for American kids too. Approximately two of 10 kids today suffer from obesity. Child obesity has grown twice as rapidly for rural kids, mainly because they have many other indoor activities such as computers, TV and video games to compete with outdoor activities. Child diabetes and heart disease are on the rise too, mainly due to a lack of movement and exercise in our kids. Louv also blames nature deficit disorder in our kids on the loss of neighborhood fields, woods and a lack of easy-to-reach places for kids to catch fish. Most of all, he blames parents and how they raise their kids. Kids who attend schools that have nature testing do better in all subjects. In science they do 27 percent better than a kid stuck inside all of the time. Louv suggests an education reform in the U.S. and says we should have a campaign called “No Child Left Inside.” I think we should have a campaign called, “Every Child Must Go Fishing Before Age 11.” Imprinting kids to nature and especially fishing at a young age, I believe, will strengthen our youth and society. In addition, if we show responsible use of nature and our resources, from not littering to explaining the values of catch and release, our kids will imprint these core values. From personal experience, I have seen some families who litter and show a complete lack of respect for fish and wildlife. Through the years, I have watched many of these kids grow up just like their parents, without any regard to the nature they enjoy. If you doubt this, just ask the next litterbug or game violator you see if his dad did the same. Chances are he will get mad but confirm the truth, his parent or guardian imprinted bad outdoor ethics into him. As parents and guardians, we must take the blame for not imprinting our kids to nature and fishing at an age early enough for the imprinting to take effect in later years. We must also take the blame if we live in fear and do not get our kids outdoors – where casting a line to hungry trout or letting them run at the beach will in fact have a life-long impression that shapes their outlook on the environment and the outdoors. Imprinting kids to nature works, but we must imprint our kids with good core values – by spending time with them nurturing and teaching conservation and environmentalism. One of my life’s goals has been to pass my love of fishing and the outdoors to my children and their children. My kids did imprint to nature and especially fishing. They also learned good values and morals when enjoying nature’s precious gifts. Recently my five-year old grandson, Justin, ran up to me and said, “Grandpa John will you take me fishing?” It thrilled me and brought a cheerful tear of accomplishment to my eyes. Just like a fish biologist with a new brood of small fish, I will begin the fun, rewarding experience of imprinting Justin to fishing, nature, conservation and good stewardship of the environment. I will give him some freedom to cast his lure or bait where and when he wants – his own “free play” time with nature. I hope that nature and the joys of fishing will imprint onto Justin’s young mind. We can save sport fishing, nature and the environment one kid at a time. Kids that enjoy the outdoors and fishing will become healthier, happier and smarter – qualities that society desperately needs for the future of fishing and our country’s overall health.
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