243
practices of sustainability, but also having the vision of a democracy more relevant
toward sustainability. These citizens are equipped with the appropriate values,
worldviews, and prevailing power structures within society as well as the ability to
address unsustainability by challenging the current situation (e.g., Dobson 2007;
Barry 2005; Schild 2006; Maniates 2001).
15.2.6 Healthy Relationship with Nature
Many researchers have theorised what it means to have a healthy relationship with
nature, and many have developed theories and models that they think are more
effective to help students develop this kind of relationship. There are important differences and conflicting opinions in the environmental education literature
(Verhulst 2004).
A healthy relationship with nature is the result of the connectedness of humans
with it. Nature connectedness is the extent to which individuals include it as part of
their identity (Schultz 2002). It includes an understanding of nature and everything
it is made up of, even the parts that are not pleasing (Nisbet et al. 2009). Characteristics
of nature connectedness are similar to those of a personality trait: nature connectedness is stable over time and across various situations (Nisbet et al. 2010).
According to Schultz (2002) three components constitutes the Nature
Connectedness construct:
• The cognitive component is the core of nature connectedness and refers to how
integrated one understand nature.
• The affective component is an individual’s sense of care for nature.
• The behavioural component is an individual’s commitment to protect the natural
environment.
Verhulst and Colton (2004) state that promoting a healthy relationship with
nature requires the development of literacy and citizenship. In addition, Curthoys
and Cuthbertson (2002) describe an ecologically literate citizen as “someone who
knows about, cares for, and acts on behalf of the cultural and ecological integrity of
their home place” (p. 227). Engaging nature experiences, including greening learning grounds, nature-based field trips and journaling, are considered by Curthoys
et al. (2004) as effective approaches to achieving healthy relationships with nature.
According to Shume (2016) environmental literacy extends beyond conceptual
knowledge to describe what is needed for healthy and responsible human relationships with nature.
Recently, reference to a ‘healthy relationship with nature’ has been made in the
fourteenth meeting of the conference of the parties to the convention on biological
diversity (CBD 2018). In the recommendations for increased focus on connecting
people with nature to inspire enhanced action on biodiversity conservation, it stated
that “humans are capable of reversing the trends of the immediate past and present
in order to achieve a new and healthy relationship with nature, a relationship that
15 Education for Environmental Citizenship: The Pedagogical Approach
practices of sustainability, but also having the vision of a democracy more relevant
toward sustainability. These citizens are equipped with the appropriate values,
worldviews, and prevailing power structures within society as well as the ability to
address unsustainability by challenging the current situation (e.g., Dobson 2007;
Barry 2005; Schild 2006; Maniates 2001).
15.2.6 Healthy Relationship with Nature
Many researchers have theorised what it means to have a healthy relationship with
nature, and many have developed theories and models that they think are more
effective to help students develop this kind of relationship. There are important differences and conflicting opinions in the environmental education literature
(Verhulst 2004).
A healthy relationship with nature is the result of the connectedness of humans
with it. Nature connectedness is the extent to which individuals include it as part of
their identity (Schultz 2002). It includes an understanding of nature and everything
it is made up of, even the parts that are not pleasing (Nisbet et al. 2009). Characteristics
of nature connectedness are similar to those of a personality trait: nature connectedness is stable over time and across various situations (Nisbet et al. 2010).
According to Schultz (2002) three components constitutes the Nature
Connectedness construct:
• The cognitive component is the core of nature connectedness and refers to how
integrated one understand nature.
• The affective component is an individual’s sense of care for nature.
• The behavioural component is an individual’s commitment to protect the natural
environment.
Verhulst and Colton (2004) state that promoting a healthy relationship with
nature requires the development of literacy and citizenship. In addition, Curthoys
and Cuthbertson (2002) describe an ecologically literate citizen as “someone who
knows about, cares for, and acts on behalf of the cultural and ecological integrity of
their home place” (p. 227). Engaging nature experiences, including greening learning grounds, nature-based field trips and journaling, are considered by Curthoys
et al. (2004) as effective approaches to achieving healthy relationships with nature.
According to Shume (2016) environmental literacy extends beyond conceptual
knowledge to describe what is needed for healthy and responsible human relationships with nature.
Recently, reference to a ‘healthy relationship with nature’ has been made in the
fourteenth meeting of the conference of the parties to the convention on biological
diversity (CBD 2018). In the recommendations for increased focus on connecting
people with nature to inspire enhanced action on biodiversity conservation, it stated
that “humans are capable of reversing the trends of the immediate past and present
in order to achieve a new and healthy relationship with nature, a relationship that
15 Education for Environmental Citizenship: The Pedagogical Approach