Renewing Children's Bond with Nature: initiatives should commence from the educational institutes, according to Roger Morgan-Grenville
In an era where the natural world seems to be under threat, the importance of nurturing a connection to nature among young minds, especially in urban areas, cannot be overstated. According to Roger Morgan-Grenville, a former soldier, writer, and wildlife guide who led the first expedition to retrace Shackleton's escape across South Georgia, and a founder member of Curlew Action, the future of life on Earth depends on it.
A recent study shows that in Britain, less than 10% of local children play in wild places, and their roaming radius has decreased by 90% in a generation. This alarming trend is mirrored by a decline in natural curiosity and wonder among children, a rise that has been mirrored by the rise of smartphones.
To combat this, a combination of strategies can be implemented. One such approach is creating and using accessible urban green spaces as outdoor classrooms. Programs like Milwaukee’s Urban Ecology Center demonstrate how urban sanctuaries can serve as “outdoor laboratories” where students participate in hands-on nature activities year-round, reinforcing science learning with real-world exploration such as wildlife studies and waterway investigations.
Another strategy is bringing nature inside classrooms. Initiatives such as Nature in the Classroom install tree canopy murals and introduce natural elements indoors. This approach improves academic achievement, creativity, and social-emotional learning by connecting students with nature even when indoor time dominates and outdoor views are limited by urban infrastructure.
Training educators in nature-based pedagogy is also crucial. Certificates like Hamline University’s Nature-based Education Certificate equip teachers with immersive field experiences and practical methods to integrate nature into curricula, boosting student engagement, well-being, and equitable learning environments.
Supporting outdoor learning programs and securing sustainable funding is also vital. Outdoor school programs and environmental education camps foster multisubject learning and interpersonal skills through nature immersion, though many face funding challenges. Advocacy and fundraising are critical to maintaining these opportunities in urban districts.
Implementing urban greening projects and schoolyards is another effective method. Transforming heavily paved schoolyards into green spaces inspires young minds, encourages curiosity, and offers everyday interaction with nature, which is often scarce in urban settings.
University level restoration efforts are needed for declining specialist courses like botany, ornithology, and entomology. These restored university courses will produce practitioners who will help enrich our natural heritage.
The undiluted Natural History GCSE has been approved by the Labour Government, but it runs the risk of being watered down, lost between subjects, based on words rather than observation, and lacking funding for urban students to regularly experience the natural world. School farm trips are an effective way to inspire a lifetime's interest in nature, but they require funding.
The disappearance of certain wildlife species, like the curlew and natterjack toads, may not be mourned if no one has seen or heard of them. This highlights the need for a reset in society's approach to children's exposure to the natural world, with a formal acknowledgment of its central importance.
Chairman Mao's extermination of tree sparrows resulted in a famine that killed 40 million people due to the sparrows eating locust nymphs and aphids that were eating the grain. This tragic event underscores the interconnectedness of all life on Earth and the importance of understanding and preserving our natural world.
Companies are open to ensuring that Nature has a metaphorical seat on the board, as climate change does. This openness provides an opportunity for advocates of nature education to make a strong case for its importance and secure the necessary support and funding.
Young naturalists often feel lonely and uncool for their passion, as their school peers prefer video games like Fortnite. However, initiatives like the Forest School scheme, which allows children to learn outdoors, should be extended and reinstated in primary schools. These programs can help foster a sense of community among young naturalists and encourage a love for the natural world.
In conclusion, expanding hands-on outdoor activities, integrating natural elements in classrooms, equipping teachers with nature-focused training, and securing long-term support for outdoor programs are key to fostering children’s connection to nature and promoting their innate curiosity, especially in cities where natural access is limited.
- To strengthen the connection of urban children with nature and combat the decline in natural curiosity, it's essential to implement strategies like creating outdoor classrooms in accessible urban green spaces and bringing nature indoors through initiatives like Nature in the Classroom.
- Ensuring that educators are trained in nature-based pedagogy will empower them to integrate nature into curricula, boosting student engagement, well-being, and creating equitable learning environments.
- Securing sustainable funding for outdoor learning programs, schoolyards transformations, university-level restoration efforts for declining specialist courses, and school farm trips is crucial in fostering children’s connection to nature and promoting lifelong learning in environmental science.
