Nature Matters (2016)

Nature Matters tells the story of ten teenaged digital natives who are at risk of graduating from high school less alive. Over the course of one summer, these youth find themselves at the crossroads of art and science as they hike local and regional trails, clean a polluted city creek, and travel 2,000 miles to spend a week in Yellowstone National Park. These resilient ambassadors discover their sense of place within interconnected ecosystems across the country. As a result, they become environmental stewards and advocates for the natural world. Until this present digital generation, nature played a vital role in the shaping of America's youth. In the documentary Nature Matters Richard Louv (Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life) and Mark Tercek (President & CEO, The Nature Conservancy) frame the unfolding national crisis of a drastic decline in time spent in the natural world. Louv and Tercek present current research on physical, emotional, and behavioral benefits for children and youth who experience unstructured time outside. Perhaps the answer to this national crisis can be heard in the voices of ten urban youth who become awakened and understand that nature truly matters.