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Sierra Club's Building Bridges to the Outdoors (BBTO) project is committed to a future where all youth have the opportunity to get outdoors. We have seen how direct nature experiences have shaped the lives of young people, opening doors they always thought were permanently closed. Research also suggests that outdoor education can improve self-esteem, raise test scores, and help kids lead healthier lives. These benefits are invaluable in a world where the pressures in children's lives are varied and increasing. To learn more, check out the 2005 study that demonstrates the benefits of Outdoor Education in our Outdoor School Final Report. (200kb PDF file, 51 pages)
Watch this short video about our program's mission:
Here's a full-length, 9-minute version of the video, and our brochure.
The Sierra Club believes that every child has a right to have a special place in nature.
To achieve this change, BBTO is working nation-wide to build diverse support for connecting underserved children, youth, and families with the outdoors, both by shaping the public conversation and by engaging public officials. We also focus on developing young leaders in this movement by engaging them in trainings, conferences, and speaking opportunities where they can influence the changes that are being made or demanded.
BBTO works with some valuable partners to influence the children in nature movement. Check out our partners page for a complete list.
- Sierra Club is a proud member of the Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK). Through this coalition, we are working with our national partners to expand the number and quality of opportunities for children, youth and families to connect with the outdoors.
- Natural Leaders Network: empowering a worldwide youth movement to strengthen the bond between children and nature. Founded in 2008, the Network is the result of a partnership between the Children and Nature Network and Sierra Club's Building Bridges to the Outdoors, with corporate support from The North Face.
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What you can do:
- Organize a family outdoor outing.
- Take a walk through a local park.
- Enjoy a backyard picnic.
- Contact a decision maker in your community and let them know why getting kids outside is important to you.
- Get together with other concerned community members to brainstorm how you can get kids involved in outdoor activities in your neighborhood.