When I was five in North Little Rock, Arkansas, my family was lucky enough to live next to the Greenes. The Dad served in the Air Force and we almost never saw him, but Mrs. Greene was one of my mother's favorite neighbors. Her oldest son was Harry, 6 or 7 years older than my brother and me. Harry loved roaming the undeveloped parts of our neighborhood catching snakes and turtles. The snakes he kept inside, not to the delight of his patient mother; the turtles he kept outside in a large, chicken-wire pen (though just to be clear, Madison Audubon asks you to keep wild animals unharmed and in the wild). Once or twice the herd made a break for it. Turtles can be stealthy and cover ground more efficiently than you might think (see the “Tortoise and the Hare” story). Harry would ask the neighborhood kids to help round up the turtles. This made for a memorable and fun day. Sort of like an impromptu Easter egg hunt.

Harry and his family moved on to another air base and many years passed. Thirty or so years later, I asked Mom whatever happened to Harry Greene. Funny you should ask, she said, I'll send you the latest copy of the Smithsonian magazine and you'll see for yourself. That issue announced a series of lectures by Professor Harry Greene coinciding with the publication of his evolutionary study of snakes (like all the snakes in the world). Harry has become one of the world's most prominent herpetologists and is now an advocate for re-wilding parts of the West. He is now a Professor Emeritus at Cornell. His massive and beautifully illustrated evolutionary study of snakes is entitled Snakes (simple enough).

For those of us for whom the definitive evolutionary history of snakes might be a bit much (although some of the photographs really are amazing), Harry wrote another more accessible and fascinating book a few years later, Tracks and Shadows: Field Biology as Art. Definitely read the first couple of chapters if you worried that one of your kids is not taking school seriously enough. Harry went from a D-minus undergraduate career to his current level of achievement. There's always hope! Harry and I exchanged e-mails after I read the second book and I'm delighted to report he is a very kind and thoughtful man.

*Harry Greene holding his writing and research muse. Photo provided by Alchetron*

One lesson I draw from this happy memory and turn of events is how important it is for kids to be outside in unstructured setting with a lot of freedom. Sixty-one years ago that meant kids hit the backdoor sometime midday and explored the neighborhood, played games or just hung out with friends until dinner time. You could hear parents calling their kids in for dinner throughout the late afternoon. But those days have past. We also have different attitudes and regulations about wild animals. I don't know that any of us would encourage an eleven year girl or boy to bring back dozens of wild animals and keep them for several weeks or longer. And as an organization, we at Madison Audubon encourage folks to enjoy wild creatures where they are, rather than bringing them home.

*What’s out there? Madison Audubon photo*

But we need the Harry and Jane Greenes more than ever, and those kids need to be outdoors to develop their love and passion for Nature. There is a whole section of this website dedicated to helping parents and caregivers get kids outside, asking questions, getting dirty, making up adventures and even making mistakes, and learning about nature. It’s called Safer and Funner at Home (you know, since in Wisconsin, we are under the “Safer at Home” order for another month) — and it is truly delightful. Some things you’ll find:

Bird Yoga
Deer tag
Meet a tree
Scavenger hunts
Nature journaling
A slew of video lessons

*A parent and child explore the great outdoors together. Let’s make more of these memories happen! Madison Audubon photo*

And lots, lots more. Carolyn is a wonderful teacher, and a great advocate for getting kids outside. If you can support Madison Audubon in whatever way, shape, or form — be that by using the materials, tuning into a lesson, exploring a sanctuary, or making a donation, please do. That’s what this organization is here for.

Written by Topf Wells, Madison Audubon board member and advocacy chair