Helping Kids Grow with Nature — to Thrive Today and Lead Tomorrow
Imagine a world where every child grows up caring for the planet — and knows they can make a difference.
The ChariTree Foundation is a national non-profit and United Nations Climate Observer Organization connecting children across Canada and around the world to meaningful environmental education. Through outdoor classrooms, tree planting, and hands-on learning, ChariTree helps children build resilience, hope, and leadership to protect the planet.
The Need for Environmental Education
Climate and biodiversity education is fragmented, underfunded, and often inaccessible, especially for marginalized communities. Over one billion children are at extreme risk from climate impacts, yet only 53% of national curricula mention climate change. (UNESCO) Equipping children with the knowledge, tools and skills to understand and respond to these challenges is essential to help them thrive and survive in their ever-changing world.
🌱 Every child deserves the chance to learn from nature — your support makes that possible.
The Growing Impact on Children
Children require a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a fundamental right. Their future depends on it. Yet, the triple planetary crisis — the climate emergency, biodiversity loss, and widespread pollution — presents an urgent and far reaching threat to children’s health, wellbeing and futures. By listening to children’s voices, we can understand their concerns and eagerness to help the planet.
“We have a unique moment in history where we can champion environmental education for a global generation of kids growing up in a world accelerating towards runaway climate change.” – AKJones, ChariTree
It’s never been more crucial to support a child’s ability to survive and thrive in their changing world.
And when children and youth understand climate change and how it impacts them and the world they depend on, they make a lifelong commitment to protect the environment for themselves and future generations.
Climate action and nature protection starts with education.
That’s why The ChariTree Foundation’s national and international children’s school and summer camp climate education programs help kids develop environmental literacy, an appreciation for nature, and outdoor life skills.
Based in Greater Vancouver, The ChariTree Foundation supports GC26 by advancing transformative, innovative, and transdisciplinary education—both formal and informal—across all levels. This includes science–policy interface studies and lifelong learning processes, while honouring the diverse worldviews, values, and knowledge systems of Indigenous peoples and local communities. Discover how we are transforming climate and biodiversity education, equipping young people to lead climate action.
Climate action supports children’s physical and mental well-being
“Children are the most impacted and least to blame for the climate crisis. We have a unique moment in history where we can champion environmental education for a global generation of kids growing up in a world accelerating towards runaway climate change.” — Andrea Koehle Jones, The ChariTree Foundation’s executive director and children’s climate education advocate.
Children and youth are more disconnected from nature than ever before. They’re overscheduled between school, extracurriculars, volunteering, part-time jobs, and their social lives, making it difficult to carve out time to connect to nature meaningfully.
One in 7 youth in Canada are also struggling with a mental health issue, with anxiety being the most common. The lack of time spent outside is a contributing factor: youth spend nearly 8 hours a day with media, but are able to pack in almost 11 hours worth of content engagement thanks to multitasking across devices.
Children need nature
Regular time outdoors is essential for their physical and mental health. Research has proven time spent in nature decreases feelings of stress, sadness, and anxiety.
Plus, time spent outdoors playing and exploring helps children and youth build critical thinking, creativity, resiliency, and social skills.
Time in nature can also strengthen youth’s physical health, from improved flexibility and lung strength to heart and bone health.
Connecting children and youth to nature through conservation projects like tree planting and ocean cleanups, outdoor classrooms and hands-on learning supports their well-being, empowers them to become healthy, confident and capable ambassadors for climate action, and builds their leadership skills.
Learn how we’re connecting youth to nature.