Welcome
Natural history—a practice of intentional, focused attentiveness and receptivity to the more-than-human world—is
the oldest continuous human endeavor. For our human ancestors, attentiveness to nature was an essential matter of
survival – knowing where and when food plants were available, when migratory animals would present themselves,
and where the best stone and fibers for making tools could be found.
The practice of natural history is in decline – there has never been a moment in history when natural history
was practiced less than today. Mindful awareness of our living world has been replaced by a myopic focus on
the human world and a sedentary submerging in electronic media. The humility, insight, and sense of the world’s
interconnectedness once provided by natural history have been lost, leading to a widespread state of “nature
deficit disorder.” Nature study has been eliminated from school programs, college catalogs, and popular culture.
This loss has fostered both social and environmental calamities.
The Natural History Network was established in 2007 to promote the value of natural history by discussing and
disseminating ideas and techniques on its successful practice to educators, scientists, artists, writers, the
media, and the public at large.
Natural History Network is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)3 of the IRS code;
contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law
The Natural History Initiative: From Decline to Rebirth
Funded by the National Science Foundation
and the Environmental Institute at the University of Washington College of the Environment
Josh Tewksbury, Tom Fleischner, and Kirsten Rowell of the University of Washington, Prescott College, and the Natural History Network have received funding from the National Science Foundation, with supporting funds from the University of Washington’s College of the Environment to coordinate a series of workshops next year to work toward the revitalization of natural history in society, research and management, and education.
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