A Sept. 8-9 Bangor Daily News story detailed the drop in visitors at Maine’s three iconic parks: the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Baxter State Park and Acadia National Park. We have, indeed, seen a drop in visitors over the past decade. While this is a short-term issue for these properties and Maine’s tourism industry, we believe it is cause for greater concern over the long haul.

The generation that grew up in the outdoors is rapidly reaching retirement age. Many are “empty-nesters” who still enjoy their favorite outdoor haunts, but now as couples, not families. These visitors will likely remain loyal to our parks – for the challenge afforded as well as the memories rekindled.

In order to develop such loyal friends, we must first expose visitors to the outdoor experience. That becomes difficult today in the face of the competition for the time and money needed for quality outdoor recreation. Today, young people are bombarded with advertising for theme parks and video games. They are often so involved with organized activities that there is no time left to simply explore in the back yard. And, the busy lives led by their parents often leave everyone with too little time to enjoy the great outdoors.

That’s why we endorse Gov. Baldacci’s Take It Outside! initiative. We believe that young people need to re-connect with the natural world around them and develop lifelong habits of outdoor recreation. It can be as simple as spending the afternoon playing tag in the neighborhood park. It can be as challenging and rewarding as canoeing the Allagash, climbing Mount Katahdin, or biking the carriage trails at Acadia. The important thing is experiencing the wonder that can be found in the outdoors.

As our Take It Outside! program develops, we hope to encourage educators, recreation planners and – most important – parents to get young people to simply step out the back door. A great model for this is Monmouth Academy’s MOBY (My Own Back Yard) program. Run by the school’s Outing Club, this freshman experience seeks to develop interests in nature, science and recreation with hands-on, fun experiences.

While school-led efforts such as MOBY are effective, they are not the only way. Parents can start the ball rolling with a short checklist at the beginning of each school year. As children get older, make the activities on the list more challenging: visiting three to four of our state or national parks each year; spending a night camping with friends or family; learning to hunt, fish or watch birds; photographing a moose; listen for the call of a loon. Research has shown that kids who spend time outdoors also become more adept at critical thinking and creativity.

Getting outdoors is more than just an intellectual exercise. You’ll feel better for it. Your heart will pump a bit faster, you’ll feel the sun on your face, you’ll sense the nip in the air as summer changes to fall. Walking, hiking, biking, swimming, paddling are all great stress relievers. Best of all, you’ll be communing with nature, and discovering again what makes our great state the envy of outdoor recreation fans everywhere.

Great Americans like Teddy Roosevelt and Ansel Adams experienced problems with physical ailments and concentration on their studies. Today the quick fixes are prescription drugs. We think that there are thousands of Maine kids that only need a contact with our natural world to set their spirit and adventurous bones a-wandering. Somewhere in Maine and in America there is another Adams or another Roosevelt yearning to “Take it Outside.”

Patrick K. McGowan is commissioner of the Maine Department of Conservation. Jensen Bissell is director of Baxter State Park. Sheridan Steele is superintendent of Acadia National Park.