GREENVILLE — Darke County Parks Shawnee Prairie Preserve has received an award as a “Best in Ohio—Connect to Nature Site” from Leave No Child Inside: Miami Valley Collaborative (MVLNCI) and Dayton Regional Green (DRG).

To receive this designation, the district had to meet criteria from the MVLNCI and DRG which promote students’ being outside and physically active every day.

The Leave No Child Inside movement was inspired by the book, “Last Child in the Woods,” by Richard Louv, who is also the cofounder of the International Children and Nature Network.

Other parks awarded the designation included Miami County Park District’s Stillwater Prairie Reserve and Five Rivers Metro Park’s Englewood MetroPark. The Little Hearts Daycare in Dayton and Springcreek Elementary School in Piqua also were recognized.

Mandy Martin, naturalist for the Darke County Park District, said, “It is crucial for all of us to recognize the importance of green space in our community. Both children and adults need the opportunity to experience nature as a tool for physical and emotional well-being. Receiving this designation is just one more reason to take advantage of what your Darke County Parks has to offer.”