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Children need the outdoors to grow. There are no more extraordinary and diverse outdoor places in our country than America’s national parks. But many children aren’t aware that these parks belong to them and may not have frequent opportunities to visit them.
That’s why the National Park Foundation introduced First Bloom, a project that connects kids–particularly urban kids–to nature through hands-on activities in their neighborhoods and the national parks. First Bloom employs the science of native plants and habitat restoration to help them learn about the world around them and develop an early conservation ethic.
First Bloom in Philadelphia
The First Bloom program was launched in 2007 by the Foundation’s Honorary Chair, Mrs. Laura Bush, at the historic National Park Foundation Leadership Summit in Austin, Texas. Since then, Mrs. Bush has helped introduce the First Bloom program to children and communities across the country.
“First Bloom extends beyond park boundaries right into our own backyards,” said National Park Foundation Honorary Chair, Mrs. Laura Bush. “Young people are encouraged to plant their own gardens with native species in their own neighborhoods and communities. By bringing the values of conservation and good environmental stewardship to participants' backyards, the program teaches children, even those who don't live near a national park, to share in the ownership of these fabulous public spaces.”
Recent Press Releases
- First Bloom Project Blooms At White House Garden Tours
- National Park Foundation Honorary Chair Mrs. Laura Bush Introduces First City-Wide First Bloom Program In Boston
- National Park Foundation Teaches Local Kids to Plant Native Flowers at the George Washington Memorial Parkway as Part of First Bloom Program
- National Park Foundation Helps Independence NHP Teach Local Kids To Plant Native Flowers As Part Of First Bloom Program Supported By ARAMARK
- National Park Foundation Honorary Chair Mrs. Laura Bush Plants Native Plants With NYC Kids During National Park Week
- National Park Foundation Honorary Chair, Mrs. Laura Bush Introduces First Bloom Program In Dallas
- Austin Kids Get Their Hands Dirty Searching For Native Plants As Part Of National Park Foundation ‘First Bloom’ Project
- First Bloom Project Launches at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin
- ARAMARK Helps Secure $1 Million Donation to National Park Foundation for First Bloom
- Honorary Chair Mrs. Laura Bush Convenes National Park Foundation Leadership Summit
The National Park Foundation has enlisted the expertise of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, community organizations like The Battery Conservancy and Boys and Girls Clubs, and the National Park Service to create transformational experiences for children and parks.
First Bloom in New York
With $1M in initial funding secured with the help of ARAMARK, the Foundation introduced First Bloom in five major metropolitan areas in 2008:
- Austin, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- New York, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
- Washington, DC
Check back in the coming weeks to find out about the new First Bloom sites for 2009.
First Bloom in Dallas
Your contribution to the National Park Foundation helps grow projects like First Bloom in communities across the country and in all 391 national parks.
Why ‘native’ plants?
Native plants are indigenous to a particular region or ecosystem. National parks are home to complex ecosystems that represent our natural heritage. Native plants help form that heritage and foster healthy communities of plants, animals and other organisms.
Invasive, non-native plants, on the other hand, are one of the greatest threats to the natural ecosystems of the U.S. and are destroying America's natural history and identity. National parks are constantly threatened by the invasion of such species as well as by human-caused disturbances that foster the existence of non-native species.
“The environment is where we all meet; where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.”
—Lady Bird Johnson
First Bloom in Washington, DC
