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A man sitting on a log in water with a child. They are in a Tennessee state park.

Enriching Youth Lives Through the Power of Parks

This summer, the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy launched a program to benefit youth mental health while expanding its year-round engagement with Tennessee’s youth. By increasing involvement, the Conservancy aims to help youth and families from historically marginalized communities access the physical and mental health benefits of outdoor public spaces.

Bridging the Outdoor Equity Gap

The program was made possible by a grant from The Lyndhurst Foundation and began this summer in collaboration with Outdoor Chattanooga, The H20 Life, Friends of Outdoor Chattanooga, Hamilton County Schools, and Tennessee State Parks. It provides extended outdoor access and leadership-building skills through after-school programs, family play days, and week-long summer camps at two Chattanooga area Title 1 schools. 

The new collaboration is an extension of the Conservancy’s Kids in Parks program, which supports schools with funding to bring primarily elementary and middle school groups to their neighboring state parks. There, the kids learn subjects ranging from social studies to STEM-related programs while getting comfortable with the outdoors. For many participants, these trips were their first ever visit to a state park.  During the 2023-24 school year, the Conservancy awarded funds to cover transportation fees, enabling over 5,000 schoolchildren to take field trips to state parks statewide.  Unfortunately, not all children have equal access to outdoor spaces.  

Spending Time Outdoors Significantly Improves Physical & Mental Health

“Outdoor activities are typically a very accessible means of finding health and happiness, yet some barriers still exist, particularly in low-income communities,” said Alex Wyss, Executive Director of Tennessee State Parks Conservancy. “This program aims to bridge that gap and provide a welcoming environment for everyone in the community.”

Until 1962, the Tennessee State Parks system was segregated, with only two parks available to the Black community. To address this history and promote equity, our new program aims to engage children in their communities and schools, making outdoor experiences more accessible and familiar. Research shows spending time outdoors can significantly improve a child’s physical and mental health. This is particularly important in the U.S., where children are three times more likely than the global average to report having a mental health condition. Nature offers cost-effective support, yet recent surveys report younger generations are increasingly less comfortable outside. The program seeks to bridge this gap by bringing nature to them and fostering a connection to the outdoors.

This summer, 21 fourth and fifth graders from Orchard Knob and Calvin Donaldson Elementary Schools participated in two weeklong camps.  Each day, the campers visited one of the four Chattanooga area state parks, Red Clay, Booker T. Washington, Harrison Bay, and Tennessee’s newest state park, North Chickamauga Creek.  Kids went on ranger-led hikes, and Outdoor Chattanooga staff taught canoeing, swimming, and snorkeling.    

Benefitting Children, Their Families and Community

The programming continues into the fall and spring terms with the after-school Outdoor Leadership Club at Orchard Knob Elementary.  Twenty students benefit socially and emotionally by practicing outdoor recreation skills, including map reading/wayfinding, hiking, outdoor Leave No Trace ethics, canoeing, and bicycle safety. The group will also visit two state parks during the fall semester.   Additionally, once in the semester, the students join with their families for a Family Play Day.  Coordinated by Chattanooga-based H2O Life, campers’ families will participate in a range of recreational activities, nature exploration, and family bonding at state parks. 

With a year-round approach that involves parents and families, the Conservancy aims to inspire ambassadors whose passion and actions spark a contagious love of the outdoors in their communities. 

A Welcome Home for Everyone

“Our goal is that our parks are a welcome home for everyone. For our programs, this means intentionally involving multiple generations,” said Gail Loveland Barille, Director of Outdoor Chattanooga. “Family inclusion promotes a shared understanding of the benefits of outdoor activities, illustrates outdoor activities can benefit you throughout your lifetime, and strengthens the bond between parents, caregivers, and children through shared exploration and play.”

Supporting Historically Marginalized Youth

The program will run for at least two years in the Chattanooga area. Looking forward, the Conservancy hopes to expand programs across the state further, filling a critical need for year-round activities that support the mental and physical health of historically marginalized youth and families.

Bridging the Outdoor Equity Gap, Kids In Parks, Lyndhurst Foundation, Outdoor Chattanooga, Tennesse State Parks Conservancy, Tennessee State Parks, Youth Mental Health