Nature Connection & Environmental Careers
Does one lead to the other?
Does nurturing a connection to nature lead to working in environmental education?
We like to think so, but does it?
In their article, Exploring the relationship between connection to nature, environmental stewardship, career aspirations, and identity, Jillian Kara, Kimberly Coleman, and Leon Walls address the established narrative that encouraging a connection to nature will help make environmental education a more diverse field. They make the case that while developing a connection to nature is a good place to begin, other factors act as barriers to entering the field.
What are these other factors?
What did they observe in their research with Upward Bound students?
Literature Cited
Kara, J., Coleman, K. & Walls, L. Exploring the relationships between connection to nature, environmental stewardship, career aspirations, and identity. Discov Educ 3, 256 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-024-00358-6 (Open Access)
