Few things are as nostalgic for many Americans as the idea of sitting around a campfire, roasting marshmallows, and looking for constellations or listening to scary stories. It’s these memories that the National Wildlife Federation hopes to rekindle with the Great American Backyard Camp-Out on Saturday, June 28.
The Camp-Out promotes a healthy lifestyle and a way to reconnect with nature by prompting parents to get their kids outside and unplugged for a night. As an extension of Great Outdoors Month, the NWF is encouraging families to bring out the tent and pitch it in the backyard, neighborhood, or participating parks.
This is the 10th anniversary of the event and they hope to have at least 200,000 campers – an important figure, since the National Wildlife Federation’s Board of Directors has offered $2 towards wildlife conservation work for every participant who pledges on the NWF’s website.
So, start looking for your tent and s’mores supplies. After registering on the NWF site, you can rough it out in your own backyard or at one of the 19 New Hampshire State Parks with camping facilities. Before you head out, you can take a look at the NWF guide to wild plants and animals to see how many you can recognize in your own backyard.
