How education can be leveraged to foster adolescents’ nature connection

Abstract

Scientific research on the relationship between nature and health/wellbeing has increased dramatically in recent years. Contact with nature during childhood, both within formal and informal learning contexts, has diverse demonstrated positive effects on young people. In this chapter, we present the results of an interdisciplinary systematic literature review that brings together key insights on the relevance of outdoor leaning from the health and education sciences perspectives. Research highlights the outdoors as an important context for learning with great potential for increased motivation in students. Empirical evidence also supports that contact with nature positively effects students’ performance and school well-being. Moreover, literature also clearly demonstrates that learning in and about nature holds great potential for stimulating nature connection among young people. By extension, it can contribute to long-term and intrinsic motivation among citizens to take up a commitment to protect and conserve (local) nature. Nature connection is a known predictor of sustainable environmental behavior inside and outside of school, as well as later in life. Studies also report on positive health effects of nature contact. Many studies point toward mental health, stress reduction, and ability to concentrate in particular. There is growing evidence that exposure to nature during childhood can positively influence cognitive development and mental health, ranging from emotional and behavioral effects to reduced risk of mental health problems later in life. Because of the health and educational benefits, residential green space is receiving more and more attention, also when it comes to health inequality: unequal access to or proximity of green space in the residential or learning environment can contribute to health inequality. This means that attention in education to nature contact can make an important contribution to counteracting health inequalities among young people. Natural environments provide children with unique opportunities to develop themselves and feel better mentally, with positive effects on school performance, endorsing the potential importance of green playgrounds for students’ mental well-being. Finally, we will show that the promotion of nature connection during childhood, e.g., through school interventions, can thus contribute to health and well-being at the individual level, but also to a more sustainable society.