Children are the Present
Far too often people refer to children as our future without acknowledging the incredible wisdom, unique perspectives and powerful contributions that children have to offer the world today.
Children’s Lands Canada (CLC) recognizes children as incredible wisdom-keepers with powerful insights and contributions to share.
CLC encourages parents, schools and community orga nizations to gift land to children (so that the children can) becomethe true caretakers of that land. Whether it is a twenty-acre forest or half a square meter of garden space, children have the freedom to create and transform their area into something that brings joy to themselves, other people and the natural world.
By donating land to children and encouraging them to create a place that reflects their hopes and dreams, we empower children to express and believe in their own creativity and ideas. Furthermore, we give them an opportunity to be inspired by the land and to connect with the natural rhythm of the earth.
Children’s Lands Canada believes:
- That children deserve the right to have a voice in the decisions that will impact their world.
- That children can be powerful caretakers of the natural world and bring positive change to their environments.
- That children have capacity to inspire and lead their peers, families, and communities back to a more balanced, sustainable and environmentally friendly way of existing.
- That children should be given opportunities to form meaningful relationships with the natural world.
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Did you know that in 2012, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) acknowledged the Children’s Lands Initiative as a best practice of education for sustainable development?
Children’s Lands (ANIA) is an international organization that inspires the creation of a new indicator of development; one that recognizes the contribution of children to the well-being of society.
Children’s Lands Canada opened it's National Headquarters in Middleport Ontario. To date, local children have been responsible for the planting and care of 12,000 trees, 28 box gardens, a fruit orchard and have started a children's community shared agriculture initiative in their area.
In October of 2014, with the support of Ducks Unlimited and Grand River Conservation Authority, a one acre wetland was created on the Children's Lands in Middleport, ON. This was one of the hopes that the children had for their land, and they are busy researching plants that will attract wildlife to a once empty field. The children are also eager to learn about, and create habitat areas around the wetland for turtles, birds, reptiles and other animals.
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