Environmental protection and nature conservation have been receiving increasing attention since the 1990s (Cooper, 1996). This is a positive development, as society as a whole has too little environmental awareness and knowledge about nature and environmental protection (Liebert et al., 2020). The aim of environmental education is to impart knowledge, to increase awareness and thus to cause changes in behaviour. It is therefore important to increase environmental knowledge and thus to increase the population's identification with nature (de Haan). The question arises, whether this problem will be taken up in politics. In the Austrian education system, environmental education has been integrated into the school system since 1979. The relationship between society and environment is of particular relevance (Bundesministerium). In order to ensure environmental awareness in the long term, it is above all practice-oriented teaching that makes sense (Coertjens et al., 2010).
The association Naturpark Karwendel takes up this challenge. Due to school cooperations, the awareness for nature and environmental protection is to be built up sustainably at an early age through knowledge transfer and practical experience (Sonntag, 2016). In order to ensure the effectiveness of environmental education, a sufficient evaluation of these school cooperations is necessary. Thus the goal of knowledge transfer and the social relevance of environmental education can be ensured. It is therefore equally important to consider the strengthening, optimisation and expansion of the six school cooperations with Naturpark Karwendel and to make room for development. Learning effects will be increased and will also contribute to holistic, sustainable development.
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Best regards, project team Naturpark Karwendel!
References
Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wirtschaft und Forschung. (30. Juli 2019). Umweltbildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung. https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/Themen/schule/schulpraxis/prinz/umweltbildung.html
Coertjens, L., Boeve-de Pauw, J., Maeyer, S. de & van Petegem, P. (2010). Do schools make a difference in their students' environmental attitudes and awareness? Evidence from Pisa 2006. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 8(3), 497– 522. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-010-9200-0
Cooper, G. (1996). The role of outdoor education in education for the 21st Century. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 1(3), 10–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03400656
De Haan, G. & Kuckartz, U. (Hg.). (1998). Umweltbildung und Umweltbewußtsein. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-322-97397-9
Liebert, W., Scherhaufer, P., Hogl, K., Steurer, R., Pülzl, H., Altenbuchner, C., TunstKamleitner
U., Schmid, M. & Winiwarter, V. (2020). Umwelt in Gesellschaft, Politik und Recht. In E. Schmid & T. Pröll (Hg.), Umwelt- und Bioressourcenmanagement für eine nachhaltige Zukunftsgestaltung (Bd. 7, S. 51–94). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-60435-9_3
Sonntag, H. (2016). Karwendelprogramm 2020: Unsere Arbeit im größten Naturpark Österreichs. https://www.karwendel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/2016Karwendelprogramm-2020-lowrace.pdf
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