My friends and I would make up elaborate stories about the things we found along the way. Occasionally we would run from barking dogs when we got too close to the forest border and get lost every once in a while.

I feel lucky to have grown up with the freedom to explore the natural world around me. I truly believe the human spirit is grounded in nature, making a connection to the natural world important in personal development.

That鈥檚 why we must continue to educate our children in all that the natural world holds.

During my career in outdoor education, the goal of getting young people outside and experiencing nature in an exciting way is always present.

In Richard Louv鈥檚 book Last Child in the Woods, he speaks of the growing gap between children and the outdoors and the physical and mental repercussions. He theorizes that rises in obesity, ADHD and depression in children correlate with spending less time outdoors and more time inside plugged in and stagnant. I am one that adheres to this line of thinking and while other factors certainly exist, today鈥檚 children have less connection to the natural world then ever before.

As a father of a 6-year-old, I鈥檓 always excited and nervous to introduce my son to new experiences, especially in the outdoors. This summer my family spent a week camping along the Arkansas River in the mountains near Buena Vista, Colorado. We came together with two other families with children the same age as our son. Our connection to these families stretches back long ago to when we all began working as outdoor educators and guides. The friendships run deep and we were excited to connect again, as parents but also as our children.

When we arrived I was struck by how quickly the kids got past shyness and hang-ups and began exploring the area. We watched their imaginations at full potential as they created new worlds out of thin air.

The creativity among the families began to grow, as one father brought out his knife and a couple pieces of wood and began fashioning rudimentary boats for each of the kids. The parents and kids worked together to move rocks and boulders around to create a miniature river course along the shore. Hours were spent running the boats along the current and fixing different channels with new rocks. What had started as a little project to pass some time had turned into hours of imaginative play, stemming from a lack of distractions and a freedom to create.

Kurt Hahn, educator and founder of Outward Bound nonprofit education organization, once said, 鈥淚 regard it as the foremost task of education: to ensure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self-denial, and above all, compassion.鈥� These five qualities would become the tenets by which the Outward Bound philosophy was created.

I spent eight years educating others in the outdoors based on these ideas and I strongly believe in what they stand for.

Just by putting our children in the outdoor environment while we were on vacation, I was able to witness each and every one of the tenets take place with little or no effort.

This is what all children should learn from the natural world. The freedom they will experience will benefit them more than we can imagine.

To put it simply, just let the mountains do the talking.

Nathan Vink is the assistant director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Outdoor Adventure. He can be reached at Nathan.Vink@ucf.edu.

I have spent most of my life outdoors. I identify with nature; it is my home. But too many miss the opportunity to understand the value and relationship we have, or could have, with nature.聽

When I started at 麻豆原创 more than 10 years ago as a graduate student, I was drawn to the 520 acres of natural lands on our 1,415-acre campus. We have such unique grounds that not only serve as home to migrating students, but host federal- and state-protected plants and animals, and a mosaic of Florida habitats. Since 2000, we have expanded the opportunities by creating more than five miles of hiking trails, managing the green space through a prescribed-burn program, and creating opportunities for the 麻豆原创 community to get involved.

Some know of this hidden treasure on campus, but many do not. I鈥檇 like to share the significance of these natural features with you 鈥� but more importantly, convince you to connect to the great outdoors, wherever you may be.

The natural lands managed on campus comprise more than 320 acres of upland and wetland habitats preserved in perpetual conservation easements to the St. Johns River Water Management District. More than 200 additional acres of natural areas on campus have verbal commitments for preservation, and are currently being preserved and managed, such as the Arboretum and smaller isolated wetland areas.

In addition, the campus contains an extensive network of storm water ponds. These areas, in combination with the large area occupied by wetlands on the east side of campus, constitute a significant percentage of the 麻豆原创 campus (approximately 50 percent of the campus acreage).

Similarly, 麻豆原创鈥檚 urban areas host unique plants and habitats, including approximately 7,000 trees, which shade about 60 percent of the campus. In 2013, 麻豆原创 students completed an evaluation of 麻豆原创鈥檚 tree campus. They estimated that carbon emissions sequestered, or removed, by the canopy were approximately 5,000 tons, which is equivalent to the emissions of about 555,000 gallons of gasoline, or nearly 1,000 聽passenger cars annually. The total amount of pollutants reduced by the urban forest was estimated at 36,000 pounds per year. Primary pollutants removed from the canopy are ozone and particulate matter, which contribute to respiratory illness.

This success story is also noted nationally. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently finished the first assessment on the impact trees have in removing pollutants. The study found that trees within the continental United States successfully removed more than 17 tons of air pollution in 2010, resulting in a $6.8 billion savings in human health costs.聽

While these statistics are meaningful, they still do not present a case for connection to the natural world. My opinion is that most of us understand the importance of nature, but still do not see how we fit into the fabric of the natural world.聽聽

Beyond the bugs, snakes and heat, which I understand can be limiting factors in experiencing the outdoors, there are new experiences when we connect to something bigger than ourselves. As a child growing up in rural Louisiana just outside of New Orleans, my memories are of adventures in the nearby woods. We created rope swings over small creeks and built forts up in the trees for a nearby escape. I would have never known that those experiences as a child would connect me to my present career. However, the times have changed.

In 2005, Richard Louv wrote the book, 鈥淟ast Child in the Woods,鈥� which highlighted nature-deficit disorder, or the mental disorder that occurs in those who spend less time outdoors, especially in children. Although controversial, his findings are similar to the biophilia hypothesis presented by ecologist Edward O. Wilson, who suggested that humans have an instinct to connect to other forms of life, or nature.

With all the known benefits of our connection with nature, why do we stay inside!? I am sure you can think of at least five excuses immediately, but I invite you to find your roots and go outside.

Just take a short hike around campus, through the Arboretum or around Lake Claire. It will ease your mind, reduce stress, and connect you to the beauty of nature.聽

One of my favorite quotes from Jeff Johnson, host of the exploratory documentary 鈥�180藲 South,鈥� is: 鈥淭he best journeys answer questions that in the beginning you didn鈥檛 even think to ask.鈥�

I invite you to take a journey across campus — or wherever you are — to notice the lovely beauty of nature that surrounds you, and take the opportunity to learn something you didn鈥檛 even know existed.

My hope is that this experience will connect you to our true home, the outside.

Alaina Bernard is 麻豆原创鈥檚 assistant director of Landscape & Natural Resources. She can be reached at alaina.bernard@ucf.edu.