Ozark Communities Plan Trail System to Fight Nature Deficit

Branson, Reed Springs, StoneBridge and Indian Point (MO) plan to develop an 82 mile trail system as a way to increase tourism and help local residents get out more.

One mayor in the area describes the need for the trails as: "we find more and more families looking for ways to 'unplug' their kids and get them back to nature. Now, there's a new term I've heard: nature-deficit disorder. It's hard for us to imagine when we live around nature, but some kids never see that. Any way you can help these kids connect with history and the outdoors, it's going to be a big plus."

Green Hour readers know that the "new term" the mayor describes comes from the work of Richard Louv in his book Last Child in the Woods. Importantly, these communities recognize how people without trails and outdoor opportunities can become disconnected from nature and that would be very bad. Read More!