Excerpt
CONSERVATIONIST-philosopher Aldo Leopold defined conservation as a state cf harmony between men and the land. Leopold admonished the repeated pleas for “more conservation education” as a solution to each new natural resource dilemma. His concern was with the content and quality of conservation education, not its volume (1).
Ernest Swift later reiterated Leopold's concern when he wrote (2): “There is no question that education is a strong force to forestall ill-advised and unwarranted change, as well as to promote sound and intelligent planning for the future. Resource education should not be a heterogeneous mass of material crammed into the minds of people like force-feeding a Christmas goose with noodles.”
So much for sound advice. Sometimes it is as easily ignored as assimilated. No sensible person can refute the value of educational quality in a democratic society. No sensible conservationist can deny the value of quality conservation education programs.
A matter of communication
The challenge to conservation professionals lies in communicating their expertise to educators and students who often lack basic knowledge about natural resource management. Whether the audience consists of children or adults, the conservation professional must attempt to teach to the knowledge level of the …
Footnotes
Al Palladino is assistant superintendent of conservation education for the Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, 65102-0180.
- Copyright 1985 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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