Landscapes Forest and Global Change - ESA - Escola Superior ...

E. Schimanski 2010. The importance of Environmental Education to restore and preserve natural and cultural heritage
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beyond idealised forms of imposing behaviour and attitudes on others; rather it should
incorporate a critical social understanding of nature and environmental problems.
This is what some authors such as Fien 1993 and Huckle 1998 regard as ‘education for the
environment’ and what Khan 2004 defines as ‘ecopedagogy’. In addition, this is what this essay
endorses as being ‘critical environmental education’ (Schimanski 2005)
It is important to points out that critical environmental education is an essential strategy. In
other words, it may provide the basis for changing behaviour to create new strategies to improve
environmental conditions, leading to a better quality of life and to equity. Following this, a
critical interpretation of social and ecological concerns is indispensable. This implies breaking
down traditional attitudes, such as the pretence that superiority can be imposed by a dominant
discourse which does not take into account social and cultural differences.
In other words, it is necessary to consider the community as a space for praxis. People should
engage with this and consequently it is necessary to create new conditions for social
participation at community. To this extent a “new culture of argument” (Myerson & Rydin
1996) linked with critical thinking can be used to usher in a new democratic culture. The
establishment of an emancipatory or critical interest (Habermas 1983) can provide people with a
new understanding of how to make environmental interpretations of local and global changes.
This can be the base on which to create a new “identity and ecological democracy” (Huckle
2001). In other words, environmental education is a form of citizenship education, which may
be able to reinforce the ability of people to reflect on and act in society. In this sense, some
points are important to reflect about it as follow:
1. It is necessary to formulate new initiatives for support, which encourage critical
thinking in relation to the natural environment and cultural heritage;
2. It is necessary to encourage a kind of critical thinking, which can lead to a new
culture of argument and a new democratic culture in society concerning environmental
good practices;
3. It is imperative support the growth of creative and interdisciplinary critical
approaches for the protection and enhancement of natural and cultural heritage areas;
4. It is of fundamental importance to clarify that there should be a link between
environmental education and citizenship in a political perspective to maximize the
human and social potential required in environmental strategies to the defense of nature;
5. Above all, it is essential that community appreciate that there is a connection between
environmental education and social justice. This relationship is underpinned by moral
and ethical values, can lead to a new way of improving the quality of life for people.
4. Conclusion
Environmental education needs to provide people with the knowledge, understanding and
capacity to promote awareness and positive attitudes towards environment. In this sense, one of
the main goals of environmental education is focused on the idea of increasing knowledge to
understand ecological processes as well as to stimulate people to get involved in actions which
can help to overcome environmental challenges.
Forest Landscapes and Global Change-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation and Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO Landscape Ecology
Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.)
2010, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.