Ecological Literacy and Ecosystem Protection
WWI’s program on Ecological Literacy and Ecosystem Protection aims to strengthen ecological knowledge, especially among young people, and to leverage this into transformative action to conserve and steward forest ecosystems under threat. To do so, we:
Provide forest-based educational programs and design curricula to build ecological literacy among children and youth;
Train youth stewards to remove invasive species, to create and manage public trails, and to advocate for conservation of and equitable access to public forests;
Conduct research on the drivers of declining ecological knowledge across cultural and educational contexts and promote understanding of the critical importance of outdoor, place-based, and experiential learning during childhood.
Context and Rationale
Today’s youth are the first generation to grow up in a world facing the twin global crises of climate change and species extinction. It is abundantly clear that they will inherit a rapidly warming planet facing massive habitat loss and ecological collapse. Their generation – and those beyond them – will be called upon to find unprecedented solutions to these existential challenges and to implement these at all scales, from local to global. Yet their ability to do so is severely undermined by the rapid loss of ecological knowledge and increasing detachment between people and nature among much of the world’s population, particularly in developed countries.
Until very recently, humans lived off the land and carried a deep knowledge of the flora and fauna which nourished, healed, and sustained them. The ability to recognize trees, plants, and wildlife was fundamental to survival. Today, the outdoors is often a green blur, particularly among urban populations. Screen-based learning, sedentary work, and social media have helped to glue young and old alike to technology. This has resulted in lives spent largely indoors, with recent studies indicating that Americans spend an estimated 90% of their time inside buildings. What is lost? Adventure, exploration, independence, connectedness – and with these, the ability to solve complex problems that require a deep understanding of ecological processes and the critical importance that nature plays in sustaining life on this planet.
An emerging body of research shows that outdoor, place-based, and experiential learning can help young people to develop a powerful sense of connection to their local environment. Educational initiatives that train children to recognize local flora and fauna, to distinguish between native and invasive species, and to “read” the natural landscape can build ecological literacy and lay the foundation for a life-long environmental ethic. Moreover, initiatives that engage youth directly in the conservation and stewardship of forest ecosystems under threat can catalyze a transformative sense of personal agency in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss at the local level. Facilitating such experiences is a key step in building the next generation of environmental leaders.
Recent Projects
WWI works closely with Ridgeview Conservancy, a non-profit based in Princeton, NJ, to implement the following projects:
Princeton’s Emerald Necklace School Consortium: A consortium of schools and youth are working to support Princeton’s Emerald Necklace Initiative by removing invasive species from their school environs; helping to maintain trails along portions of the Emerald Necklace; and engaging in outreach to raise consciousness about the vital need to protect local forests. Founding schools include: Princeton High School (Ridgeview Woods Community Service); Princeton Friends School; Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart; Princeton Montessori; and Princeton Junior School.
Youth Stewards in Ridgeview Woods: Since 2009, WWI staff and members of Ridgeview Conservancy, along with Princeton High School students and other volunteers, have worked to open Ridgeview Woods, a new 55-acre forest reserve along Princeton’s northern boundary. Much of the forest had been infiltrated with invasive species which covered diabase boulders and suffocated trees and native wildflowers. Dedication and hard work on the part of the youth stewards have demonstrated what collective action toward a common goal can accomplish. The students have learned to distinguish native from invasive species, to discern which species are edible and medicinal, and to see fascinating indigenous and literary histories hidden in Princeton’s forgotten forest.
New Jersey Forest Task Force: WWI is participating in the NJ Forest Task Force, established in February 2022 to study and identify ways in which the State can best manage its forests to fight climate change, prevent forest fires, improve ecosystems, and protect soil and water quality. In collaboration with Ridgeview Conservancy, WWI is leading on a proposal for Training New Jersey’s Youth to Steward Public Forests. Effective examples of programs to build upon include: FoHVOS Invasive Species Strike Force, Union County’s Adopt-a-Trail Program, Ridgeview Conservancy’s Emerald Necklace School Consortium, Watershed Institute’s Family Adopt-a-Plot, and the Sourland Conservancy’s Invasive Species Team.
Select Publications
IUFRO (2023). “Forests and Trees for Human Health: Pathways, Impacts, Challenges and Response Options. A Global Assessment Report.” Cecil Konijnendijk, Dikshya Devkota, Stephanie Mansourian & Christoph Wildburger (eds.). IUFRO World Series Volume 41. Vienna. Download PDF.
IPBES (2022). “Thematic Assessment Report on the Sustainable Use of Wild Species of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.” Fromentin, J.M., Emery, M.R., Donaldson, J., Danner, M.C., Hallosserie, A., & Kieling, D. (eds.). IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany. Download PDF.
Shanley, P. (2022) “Ridgeview Woods: A Guide to its History and Mystery.” Princeton, NJ. Download PDF.
Shanley, P. (2022) “Training New Jersey’s Youth to Steward Public Forests.” A proposal submitted to The NJ Forest Task Force. Download PDF.
Shanley, P. (2022) “White Pine: The Tree That Sparked Peace, Revolution, and Insurrection.” In J. Wall (ed) The Cultural Value of Trees: Folk Value and Biocultural Conservation, Routledge Press. Download PDF.
Shanley, P. (2022) “Reading the Forest: Clues to the Ecology and History of the 153-Acre Woods.” Map and Trail Guide. Princeton, NJ. Download PDF.
Shanley, P., Höhn, I., Murilo, S. & Hannelore H. (2019) "Receitas Sem Palavras. Plantas Medicinais da Amazônia." 2º edição. Woods & Wayside International, People and Plants International. Download PDF.
Shanley, P., Höhn, I., Murilo, S. & Hannelore H. (2019) “Recipes Without Words. Nutritious and Healing Plants of Amazonia.” 2nd Edition. Woods & Wayside International, People and Plants International. Download PDF.
Shanley, P., Cymerys, M., Medina, G. & Serra, M. (eds.) (2011) “Fruit Trees and Useful Plants in Amazonian Lives.” Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), CIFOR and People and Plants International, Rome, Italy. Download PDF.
Shanley, P. & Medina, G. (eds.) (2010) “Frutíferas e Plantas Úteis na Vida Amazônica.” Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), CIFOR and People and Plants International, Rome, Italy. Download PDF.
Shanley, P. (1999) “To market, to market.” Natural History, 10. Download PDF.