Obama Administration Creates National Water Trails System

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The $1 million will add funding to two existing programs - More Kids in the Woods and Children's Forests.

More Kids in the Woods is a cost-share program where thousands of partners contribute their time, energy and resources to help connect kids and families with the natural world.

Children's Forests activities are centered around developed outdoor spaces on national or state forests, in urban parks or at schools. The core mission of a Children's Forest is to give young people a voice in caring for the land, encouraging them to take a leadership role in forest management.

"These grants strengthen our bonds with communities with a bottom line goal of getting kids to explore and appreciate America's great outdoors," said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. "There are few things more gratifying for me than seeing our youth gain an appreciation for the amazing landscapes we have in this country."

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2012. All rights reserved.