Exploring the Wadden Sea Ecosystem Through an Educational Intervention to Promote Connectedness with Nature

A mudflat hiking tour in the Wadden Sea significantly enhances participants' connectedness with nature. This study, the first of its kind from an ecopsychological perspective, found that such interventions not only increase environmental engagement but also mitigate gender differences and counteract the typical decline in connectedness with age. Conducted with 780 secondary school students, the research measured changes in their perceptions before, immediately after, and four to six weeks post-excursion. The findings suggest that educational experiences like this can effectively bridge existing disparities in nature appreciation.

Schmäing, T., & Grotjohann, N. (2024). Exploring the Wadden Sea Ecosystem Through an Educational Intervention to Promote Connectedness with Nature. Ecopsychology, 16(1), 32–40. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2022.0100