Study Site

The regional population of the Non-rural (urban) Alaska site is approximately 100,605 (U.S. Census, 2015). The region is hub to the subarctic northern interior of Alaska; it is located on the road system and has a vast array of consumer shopping conveniences. It sits on the confluence of two major rivers, surrounded by varied marshland and boreal forest. The region draws much of its population from U.S. military installations and the local University.

Participants

Twenty preschool children (ages 4-5), twelve males and eight females, participated in year one of the project. Children represented varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Location and Place

Fifty percent of the families in the non-rural cohort live in town where access to community parks, education centers, and consumer conveniences are readily accessible, and similar to those found in other U.S. cities. Thirty-five percent of the families lived outside the city limits in what are considered "rural" locations. Rural residents often have their own well and septic system; they also may have to haul their own trash and/or water. Rural residents are also more likely to have greater access to forested and wilderness areas near their house than those living in the city.

Years lived in Alaska

Five of the families indicated that they were from Alaska or have lived there for 30+ years. Eight families have lived in Alaska for 5-30 years and four families have lived in Alaska for less than five years. Of the families that have lived in Alaska for less than five years, most are military and stationed in Alaska for a three-year term.

Seventy percent of the children in cohort 1 were born in Alaska; most were born in the city where they currently live but two were born in another Alaskan location. Fifteen percent of the families who participated in the survey were born somewhere in the lower 48.

Parent Feelings about Place

An interesting quality about living in Alaska is that one either loves it or hates it! The extreme weather conditions and isolation from the lower 48 make it difficult for many families to adjust. Findings from the family survey, however, show that parents generally felt happy about their place. On a scale from 1-10, with ten being extremely happy, six rated their feeling as an 8, two as a 9, and seven as a 10. Only one parent rated their feeling as slightly unhappy (4).

Family Nature Tours

Family's self-selected Nature Tours which occurred in a variety of locations and included a number of different activities. The chart below reveals the participants and settings of the Family Nature Tours that occurred in Fall 2018.

What is Nature?

The video below provides a sampling of the Family Nature Tour location and activities