On Tuesday, August 2nd we joined Las Cumbres, Rocky Mountain Youth Corp, USFS, Rio Arriba Soil and Water Conservation District, Santa Fe City Councilor and Mayor Pro Tem Peter Ives, as well as representatives from Senator Martin Heinrich’s office for a day of rafting on the Rio Chama. Far-Flung Adventures were our skilled guides for a full-day float aimed at getting kids outside and more in touch with their forests.
With kids spending less and less time outside, trips like this are crucial in engaging young people in the outdoors. Many don’t know that public lands are open to everyone, and if they’re going to be the next generation of conservationists we need to start now.
It wasn’t all just fun on the river – after we ended the rafting trip RiverSource taught the kids how to collect water samples and identify water invertebrates to see if the water was healthy. The kids had a great time looking at water bugs under rocks, and using the science instruments.
Seeing our youth have a blast outside for a day really highlights the importance of getting young people outdoors. Without that passion now, we might not have the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts to leave our outdoor heritage to.
