The Minnesota Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights

🎙 The Minnesota Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights🏞️🌿

Episode Overview:

In this episode of Explore Minnesota More, we sit down with Arielle Courtney from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Chrissy Dornon from the Minnesota Children’s Cabinet to explore the Minnesota Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights—a bold initiative ensuring that every child in the state has opportunities to experience and benefit from the outdoors.

The conversation dives into: ✅ The origins and development of the Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights
 ✅ The role of the Minnesota Children's Cabinet and DNR in shaping and implementing this initiative
✅ How outdoor access benefits kids' mental health, physical health, and education
✅ Ongoing projects, including a three-year action plan launching in 2025
✅ Ways parents, educators, community leaders, and outdoor advocates can get involved

What is the Minnesota Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights?

Launched at the 2022 Minnesota State Fair, this initiative identifies 15 fundamental outdoor experiences that every Minnesota child should have access to, including: 

🎣 Catching a fish
 🚴 Riding a bike
 🏕️ Camping under the stars
 🌳 Exploring a natural space
 🦅 Watching wildlife
 …and more!

The goal? To move beyond just a proclamation and make these rights actionable through education, policy, and partnerships.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

🔹 Challenges in making the Bill of Rights a living, impactful initiative
🔹 The importance of youth voices in shaping outdoor access policies
🔹 How cross-agency collaboration is key—beyond just the DNR
🔹 The role of schools, childcare facilities, and mental health professionals in outdoor access
🔹 How YOU can support the Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights

Get Involved!

📌 Sign the Pledge: If you're a parent, educator, or outdoor advocate, you can sign the pledge and stay updated on initiatives.
🔗 Learn More & Sign Up Here

Credits:
Producers: Randolph Briley
Hosts: Sarah Strommen and Lauren Bennett McGinty
Original Music by Andrew Haaheim and Alsever Lake