Nature Educator & Author Constance Nelson: 5 Things We Must Do To Inspire The Next Generation About Sustainability And The Environment
Practice what you preach! My family was on the cutting edge of sustainability practices before I even knew the word “sustainability” and before it even became a buzz word. My parents always taught me from my dad’s Cherokee roots, to think seven generations ahead…what we are doing today will leave a footprint seven generations ahead. “The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you never expect to sit” — Nelson Henderson.
As part of my series about what we must do to inspire the next generation about sustainability and the environment, I had the pleasure of interviewing nature educator and author Constance Nelson.
Constance Nelson is a former global Radio Talk Show Host, Interior Designer, Nature Educator, VirNatural Media Creator, Pianist, Mother and Creator the Bark Buddie Trees along with other nature rooted children’s educational media. She’s also the founder of “Planting Tomorrows and her mission of sparking a “Nature-Child Reunion”.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
I grew up in the heavily and heavenly forested hills of West Virginia. My dad planted the seeds of a deep appreciation and love for nature. We would often take walks in the woods and he would teach me how to identify trees by their bark and leaves. He saw wonder even in what most would consider as weeds…”That plant might be the cure for cancer someday”, he would say about a lowly “weed”. He taught me about the web of life and the divine order of life on our amazing planet. West Virginia is lovingly referred to as “Almost Heaven, Wild and Wonderful” for a good reason…because it is!
Was there an “aha moment” or a specific trigger that made you decide you wanted to become an environmental leader? Can you share that story with us?
When those seeds matured as I grew up and gave birth to my son, my mother and father came to my house to fulfill a long standing family “tree-dition”, the gift of a live baby tree for our newborn son. Dad planted the tree in our yard and when my son was old enough to help, together my dad and Nate, my three year old son, would nurture and tend to that growing tree. As an educator, I saw the most “AHA TEACHABLE MOMENT” of my life — the past, present and future grafted into that one powerful, simple act of caring for Nate’s baby tree which he named Woody. My dad’s wisdom from the past, the present moment of family time around the tree and little Nate’s dreams for the future…all in one AHA moment! That precious family “tree-dition” gave “b’earth” to my Nature-Child Reunion mission and my fun, friendly intellectual property, the “BARK BUDDIE TREES”…not your ordinary bashful backyard trees, nosiree…they’re trunk yappin’, root tappin’, leaf clappin’ trees on a mission to ROOT-4-KIDS to GROW UP HAPPY! Nate still tends to that tree even today, almost 30 years later. That was the beginning!
Is there a lesson you can take out of your own story that can exemplify what can inspire a young person to become an environmental leader?
No matter how young or small you are, you can make a difference. One of my Nature-Child Reunion “episeeds” (episodes that plant a powerful seed of awareness/learning) is titled “Antonio Ant Never Says Can’t” and it shares with children the amazing life of an ant who though so very tiny, carries giant loads and never gives up or says “I’m too small to do that”. I also often use an acorn as a nature life lesson…a small acorn you can hold in the palm of your hand has everything inside needed to grow into a mighty oak tree, cleaning our air, holding the dirt, sheltering and housing countless animals and birds, giving us shade and oxygen to breathe! Children are like acorns…they have everything needed inside to grow up strong and make the world a better place. NEVER SAY CAN’T! Youth sprouts need to be reminded that their age and small stature is an asset, a strength, never a liability! That’s why some of my books are in the voice of Oakie Dokie, a young Oak Tree sprout.
Can you tell our readers about the initiatives that you are taking to address climate change or sustainability? Can you give an example for each?
My main objective is to enlighten and engage children through the voice of nature, my BARK BUDDIE TREES, to appreciate the natural world, not merely as windshield visitors, or on a screen, but up close and personal! If a child never sees a tall rooted tree, a bird with a broken wing or an eagle soaring, how can they appreciate the value of sustainability an earth care? I creatively guide children to the NEW FUN-TIER — the GREAT OUTDOORS where they can see and appreciate the wonders and everyday miracles outside the walls of school or home. Children need nature like they need oxygen and they need more stream time, less screen time. On the average, children spend many hours every week plugged into devices when the greatest teacher and balancing force of all is outdoors in nature, where they only spend minutes a week exploring! My IP, books and workshops guide children outdoors to dig nature and let nature nurture the innate sense of wonder they were born with for nature.
Can you share 3 lifestyle tweaks that the general public can do to be more sustainable or help address the climate change challenge?
Easy peazy:
1) Plant more (trees/gardens/pollinating plants)
2) Always use non-toxic or the least toxic products in your home and school
3) Recycle everything you can and buy local produce when possible (oops, is that four?)
Ok, thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview: The youth led climate strikes of September 2019 showed an impressive degree of activism and initiative by young people on behalf of climate change. This was great, and there is still plenty that needs to be done. In your opinion what are 5 things parents should do to inspire the next generation to become engaged in sustainability and the environmental movement? Please give a story or an example for each.
1) Get them outdoors where they can see the wonders of nature! That’s where adopting and planting their very own tree like my dad did with my son became the roots of my son’s environmental awareness…his tree became the touchstone point of contact for him to be outdoors. That’s why my BARK BUDDIE TREES are such a fun way for kids to adopt and plant their very own tree, name their tree and GROW UP HAPPY tending and caring for their tree. Every BARK BUDDIE TREE “episeed” plants powerful seeds of stewardship in a child’s most impressionable years. We included my son’s “Woody” tree in every family celebration: Christmas, Birthdays, Earth Day, Arbor Day, etc.
2) Immerse your children in nature where they can experience and use their senses to hear, see, smell and feel the web of life we are all part of. Go with them on a scavenger hunt in the park or the woods where they can have fun looking for nature treasures like pine cones, leaves, twigs, rocks, seed pods, etc. Without time outdoors, children cannot grow up fully alive! Don’t think outside the box…just think OUTSIDE, no box needed!
3) Lead by example…children learn what they live. My father was “green” before green was cool and he taught me by example…caring for trees, planting gardens, saving rain water and growing herbs for our health and for the bees to pollinate. I learned the value of earth care by caring for the earth…children learn what they live!
4) ALWAYS encourage children to use their imaginations and create…no matter how silly it may seem to us as adults…children are new to the planet and they come into this world with fresh new ideas that may someday become the cure for a deadly disease or the answer to a tough environmental problem. My imagination was nurtured through countless hours spent in nature seeing how the animals, trees, streams and rocks weathered storms and survived to bloom again!
5) Practice what you preach! My family was on the cutting edge of sustainability practices before I even knew the word “sustainability” and before it even became a buzz word. My parents always taught me from my dad’s Cherokee roots, to think seven generations ahead…what we are doing today will leave a footprint seven generations ahead. “The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you never expect to sit” — Nelson Henderson.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
In my business, my mantra is “outcome is more important than income”. Not saying I don’t like to make money, but when money is the driving force, your view becomes warped and tainted. To be more profitable, I keep my priorities in line and when I do that, focusing on the outcome, then the income flows naturally and doors open I never dreamed of. That’s probably not the answer you really were looking for, but giving back and focusing on making a difference is the key to profitability for me.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Again, I have to give credit to my dad. He was the one person on this earth who planted the seeds of my creative spirit which in turn, gave birth to all of my IP, books and nature program content. His legacy lives on in every tree I’ve planted and in every child’s life I touch through my work. His blessings continue to grow and like a rock thrown into a pond, his ripple effect is still going forward.
You are a person of great influence and doing some great things for the world! If you could inspire a movement that would bring the greatest amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
My Nature-Child Reunion movement sparks and guides children to the NEW FUN-TIER, THE GREAT OUTDOORS, through the voice of the BARK BUDDIE TREES.
Do you have a favorite life lesson quote? Can you tell us how that was relevant to you in your own life?
The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you never expect to sit — Nelson Henderson
And
Nature is our best teacher, she unfolds her treasures to our search, unseals our eyes, illumes our minds and purifies our hearts — Alfred B. Street
And
Just ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you –Job 12:7
I can’t choose only one, these have been the most influential in my journey.
What is the best way for people to follow you on social media?
on Facebook: Nature-Child Reunion and Bark Buddie Trees
This was so inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
Nature Educator & Author Constance Nelson: 5 Things We Must Do To Inspire The Next Generation About was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.