Children are the future, and what they believe in and care for will determine where our nation and world go environmentally. When I used to give talks at grammar schools, I was optimistic about the environmental sentiments of the young. Based on letters (an ancient form of communication) I received, I knew many of them had an appreciation for plants, animals and healthy environments. Plenty of adults were also beginning to express an appreciation of and thankfulness for clean water, clean air and thriving natural habitats. Such attitudes were often missing from former generations, who sometimes took it all for granted.

 In rummaging through some old papers stored in the basement, I ran across the following essay written years ago by a fifth-grade boy named Andrew Lydeard for a descriptive writing project. He decided to write about some of his favorite things, ones he really cared about. Andrew’s list of his favorite things and the words he used to describe them, like “bountiful” and “shimmering,” clearly showed his love of nature. I would like to believe that his value system still represents that of today’s boys and girls, who will be shaping our environmental future.

“I used to love my old creek. I miss it because we moved. The reason I loved it was because of the animals. The snakes were as long as my little sister; a handful of salamanders felt as if you had dipped your hand in honey. Also, the lizards along the edge could move as fast as one of us Little League baseball players trying to reach home plate. Some of the prettiest animals were the birds, which were always singing, as if they were joyful and happy about having received a present.

“Another of my favorite things of the past was the woods. I was always in the woods, looking at trees, walking on trails, and catching insects. (I’ll get to the insects later.) Those trees were enormous! Some of them had to be over a hundred years old. Their leaves were stunning in the fall, vivid green in the spring.

“About those insects—they were not disgusting; they were cool. I found beetles with long, sharp claws; butterflies with golden wings; ladybugs, red ones and yellow ones, with big, black spots; and much more. I saw lots of flowers, as well as big snaky vines, poison ivy, and thorn bushes everywhere. They were beautiful, too, as long as you knew where to walk.

“Another of my favorite things was the cool water, which made pools in summer that were always so deep and clear. I could always see fish shimmering silver and darting under the banks. Everywhere I stepped was an experience—squishy mud, soft sand, or jagged rocks. The rocks were very colorful, in shades of brown, gray, red, and yellow, and bountiful. They were round, flat, bumpy—all sorts of weird shapes and sizes.

“Even in the wintertime I could find small animals under rocks, see fish in the water, and find different kinds of plants. I guess I would have to say that I have lots of favorite things of the past. And all of them have something to do with the outdoors, with the creek and woods, and with the animals and plants. I hope that all other children have creeks and woods they can play in, because the best thing about our new home is that I have plenty of woods and will be looking for another creek.”

Some children today spend far too much time in front of their computers and on their phones, with little feel for nature and wildlife. However, Andrew, now program coordinator of Alabama Audubon, continues as a strong advocate for healthy natural habitats. I feel good about our environmental future and hope you do, too. I think we will be leaving it in good hands.

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