Planning education to care for the earth - IUCN Knowledge Network

Planning education to care for the earthpapers which deal with environmental issues emerged in 33 percent of thelife accounts of the under-30s, but in only 11 percent of those supplied bythe over-50s.The types of organisation that have an influence provided anotherinteresting difference. Those dealing with the natural world, such asNaturalist Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, wereconsidered more influential by the oldest age group; organisationsconcerned with the danger of human impact on the global environment -for example Greenpeace and CND - are more influential with youngercitizens.A correlation between individual factors was only possible with the mostimportant responses. Two significant correlations (at 1 percent level) werefound: one between childhood experiences of nature and the influence ofclose family and the other between childhood experience of nature andwork-related influences.This study confirms the findings of Tanner that childhood experience of theoutdoors is the single most important factor in developing personal concernfor the environment. In the Palmer study, subjects in all the age groupsmade extensive and detailed references to early childhood days of exploringthe natural world and deriving sensory experiences in the open air. Theyalso stressed the crucial importance of parents, teachers and other adults.Many statements testified to the significant impact of the knowledge andexample of others on the early learning of respondents.The impact of formal programmes concerning the environment in the fieldof higher education is confirmed by the data of the study, and this isencouraging. The majority of respondents citing education as a single mostimportant influence were writing about degree-level courses. Others in thisgroup wrote about advanced self-chosen (A-level examination) courses inschool.One of the most disturbing findings, perhaps, is the total lack of referencesin the study data to a school course below A-level as a single mostimportant influence. Moreover, of the 51 respondents citing school lessonsor courses as a significant influence, 38 referred specifically to A-levelcourses and related field work. A number of respondents made clearstatements to the effect that formal school programmes had little or even noinfluence on their thinking in relation to the environment.Studies such as those of Tanner and Palmer clearly raise important issuesfor debate and action by those who establish policy and provideenvironmental education (EE) programmes at all levels. Policy-makers andeducationalists alike need to take serious account of the need to give youngpeople the opportunity to have a wealth of positive experiences in outdoorhabitats.Financial economies in the United Kingdom are forcing environmental andoutdoor education centres to close down. This is possibly the case in other6