Natural Transformation: Wilderness Rites of Passage for
Adolescents by Michelle Apland Author Richard Louv coined the
term Nature Deficit Disorder to describe the lack of wilderness
experiences in the lives of children today. According to nature
educator Michelle Apland, it’s not only in childhood, but also
in adolescence, that nature can play a powerful and
irreplaceable role. In this article, she discusses the ways in
which wilderness rites of passage can create a meaningful
transition into adulthood, along with a sense of purpose and
belonging that can last a lifetime. I stand at a quiet turn of
the Missouri River. Autumn olive bushes ripe with tart pink
berries line the shore, their leaves shimmering silver in the
mid-afternoon breeze. In the thick heat of a South Dakota
summer, I stop to pick a berry, and a crane fly alights on my
hand. She is long and lithe, her body like a slim dragonfly’s,
with a lengthy threadlike tail. After admiring her intricate
body, I try to place her on each shrub I pass. She r