NLI Newsletter – July / August 2025

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NLI NewsletterJuly / August 2025

Verner Central, Grow Outdoors South Carolina, Declining Childrens Health & Nature Connectedness Articles!

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Natural Learning Initiative

July – August 2025

Creating environments for healthy human development and a healthy biosphere for generations to come.

Join NLI for a Virtual Field Trip at Verner Central!

Welcome to the outdoor learning environment Virtual Field Trip, to the new Verner Center for Early Learning (“Verner Central”), in West Asheville, NC, adjacent to the new Emma Elementary School. Verner Central grew from “Danny” Verner’s 2001 vision for early care and education for mountain area children and families. NLI worked previously on the Intermountain Children’s Place (Spruce Pine, Mitchell County), so joining the Verner team early on was especially meaningful…read more

Grow Outdoors South Carolina Website Launched!

Grow Outdoors South Carolina website launched! Designed by NLI in collaboration with leadership, the website serves as a communication and resource hub for Participating Centers, Lead Organizations, Implementation Team, Advisory Group, and the broad community of interest…read more

Declining Children’s Health & Nature Connectedness

New research articles about the declining health of U.S. children and the loss of “nature connectedness” in the U.K., simultaneously give cause for alarm but also validate growth of the children and nature movement, including NLI…read more

SAVE THE DATES!

Celebrating 25 Years of Nature Play & Learning

NLI 25th Anniversary Exhibition

Wednesday, October 21

“Rooting Childhood in Nature” – 25^th Anniversary NLI Retrospective, Opening Reception, 5:30 pm, October 21^stall invited! Click here for more info!

18th NLI Design Institute and 25th Anniversary Celebration!Wednesday, October 22

“Rooting Childhood with Nature – Supporting Children’s Health Caring for Our Home in the Universe

Register now for the 18th NLI Design Institute and 25th Anniversary Celebration at Dix Park, Oct. 22nd (early bird until Sep. 30th). Fabulous speaker lineup and visit to Gipson Play Plaza! Click here for full details, including CEUs.