That's the term author Richard Louv uses to describe the separation of children from nature in today's society.  In his book Last Child in the Woods, he describes the many reasons for this, such as the inaccessibility of parks and regulatory and legal restrictions on child's play outside.  He goes on to give in alarming detail actual and probable results of such separation:  attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obesity, high crime rates, and mental health problems.

"Through nature," he says, [human kind] "is introduced to transcendence, in the sense that there is something more going on than the individual."

Louv's ideas have complete buy-in from FCC member Steve Rosencranz.  Working with the group he founded, The Woods Project,* Steve this year raised $150,000 to send 88 disadvantaged kids to three camps in the West.  He also recruited 22 adults to accompany the teens on these trips, spent a year on the arrangements and led a backpacking trip.

 For the Donner Pass, Lake Tahoe outing, adults included three others from FCC:  Mary Harvey;* Rebecca Schwartz;  Jaena Strong;  Steve; and three from the high schools.   (The adults took care of their own expenses.)

 Twenty-five students, including 19 from Houston high schools, spent two weeks at Donner Pass.  Their activities included not just the outdoor activities you would expect,   but also service projects and lessons in geology, tree botany; insect identification; Donner Pass history; team building; housekeeping; even three kinds of meditation!

They had as their lead guide Peter Mayfield, a mountain guide, ski instructor, world-renowned climber and now manager of the Gateway Mountain Center, which teaches youth about the outdoors.

Some of the students' comments from the Donner Pass Gazette reflect the reactions of the teens:

"I interviewed a tree." – Jose

"I searched a creek for  . . . invertebrates that serve as indicator species for the quality of water." – Noe

 "What I liked about the trip was meeting new people and getting to know the types of trees . . . as we walked through the mountains." – Maria

"I have learned to connect to the environment." – Francisco

"There's no better experience . . .I got to sleep in a tent, try new foods, swim in freezing cold lakes and feel the wind whipping across my face." -- Ashlee

"I think differently about the forest.  I am no longer [afraid] of it." – Yaritza

"All my life I have wanted to touch snow." -- Karina

"The trip changed me in many ways spiritually, physically and emotionally.  Every day I was given a challenge [and] when I was done I felt different.  Every accomplishment made me feel more confident. . . . Thank you. . . ." –Andrea

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*Mary manages staff and student recruiting for the outings, which take place summer, spring and fall.  In 2009, 144 kids will participate in summer programs.   A weekend backpack trip in November this year has 38 teens hiking, camping and working on service projects. For more information on The Woods Project and to help get disadvantaged kids out of the city and into the woods next year (which will take $300,000), please go to www.thewoodsproject.org.