Definition: Conservation Education, Environmental Education, Outdoor Education.

Overview & Synopsis

Conservation education, outdoor education, and environmental education all have as a common goal the understanding and appreciation of the natural world. Outdoor education is a method of teaching wherein established disciplines, topics, and concepts which can best be taught outdoors are taught outdoors. Conservation education is the study of man's intelligent use of his natural environment through the development, management, preservation, and renewal of natural resources for his material, cultural, and aesthetic needs to benefit present and future generations. Environmental education, the study of all things surrounding man which affect his existence, is aimed at developing an informed citizenry motivated to the recognition of problems and to collective action for solution. The increase in urban populations and the lack of understanding of modern Americans for their environmental heritage make it imperative that a program in education deal with this heritage in relevant terms. The Conservation Education Association urges that the philosophy and terminology of educators in these 3 fields be explained and clarified and that organizations with these philosophies agree on their objectives and decide on a terminology which clearly reflects these objectives. (JH)