PROJECT: CHILDREN’S PERCEPTION OF BIODIVERSITY IN EVERYDAY LIFE AND

THEIR PREFERENCES FOR SPECIES

Dr. Petra Lindemann-Matthies, Institut für Umweltwissenschaften, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190,
CH-8057 Zürich, Tel. ++41 44 635 47 41, FAX ++ 41 44 635 57 11, e-mail: petral@uwinst.uzh.ch

SUMMARY

This study has investigated the everyday-life

perception of biodiversity by Swiss children,
their preferences for species, and the effect of
the educational programme ‘Nature on the way
to school’ on these perceptions and preferences.
The programme was developed by the Swiss
conservation organisation ‘Pro Natura’ as an
educational supplement mainly for primary
schools. The main aims of the programme were
the promotion of opportunities for children to
experience nature at first-hand, the promotion
of awareness of nature in children’s everyday
lives, and the promotion of interest in and
tolerance of local wild plants and animals.
During the programme, the children in
particular investigated organisms on their way to school, and, in the ‘Nature Gallery’, placed
a picture frame around their favourite natural object and explained it to the general public.
Between March and July 1995 more than 14000 Swiss pupils participated in the programme.
Teachers that had ordered the educational material for the programme were asked to
participate in the present study and received a set of questionnaires. Possible effects of the
programme were evaluated using a pretest/posttest-design with a test group and a control
group. The classes of the test group took part in the programme, whereas the classes of the
control group did not participate, but also filled in the questionnaires. In total, more than 6000
children from 359 classes participated in the study.

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The children were asked to list the plants and animals they noticed on the way to school and
to make an assessment of their abundance. On average, children could name 5 plant and 6
animal taxa, but nevertheless felt that the abundance of plants was greater than that of
animals. Unspecified taxa (e.g. ‘flowers’) were among the most commonly listed by children
of all age-groups, indicating a lack of training in taxonomy at school. A factor analysis
revealed that the perception of wildflowers by the children was correlated with that of
invertebrates and wild vertebrates other than birds, and the perception of wild birds with that
of trees and shrubs. Several socio-demographic factors influenced the perception of species.
Children from rural areas more often felt that there were many plants and more often noticed
wildflowers, invertebrates and wild vertebrates on their way to school than did children from
urban areas. The number of taxa noticed and the assessed abundance of animals was higher
for children from areas characterised by single family houses than for those from areas
characterised by blocks of flats. The number of taxa noticed increased until the beginning of
adolescence and then decreased. In all age-groups girls noticed more plant and animal taxa
than did boys, and felt more often that there were many plants and animals on their way to
school. The more taxa children could name, the higher was their assessment of the abundance
of plants and animals. This suggests that children may first have to become aware of local
organisms before they get a feeling for biodiversity.

Participation in the educational programme significantly increased the number of plant and
animal taxa that children noticed on their way to school. Moreover, children that took part in
the programme felt more often that there were many plants and animals around, and more
often heard the birds singing than those that did not. The positive effects of the educational
programme increased with the number of lessons taught, indicating that increased efforts of
teachers were rewarded. However, children in the control group also noticed more taxa in
summer than in spring. This illustrates the necessity of more rigorous designs in educational
studies, in particular the need to include meaningful control groups. The educational
programme had a similar positive effect on both younger and older children and on boys and
girls, but did not level out the pre-existing differences in the perception of species. However,
girls more often than boys had the impression that they had become familiar with new species
during the programme. This might indicate a more positive attitude among girls towards
nature education.

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Only about a quarter of the children particularly appreciated one of the wild plants or animals
of Switzerland, whereas most children found garden and decorative plants, and pets and
exotic animals most attractive. On their way to school the children appreciated organisms
which they found visually attractive, but also inconspicuous species which raised their
interest and curiosity. Participation in the programme increased children’s appreciation of
local wild plants, in particular that of wildflowers and climbers. In contrast, the programme
had no overall influence on the appreciation of wild animals. However, the more lessons a
class received during the programme, the more was their appreciation of native wild animals
increased and that of pets decreased. The more wild plants and animals children noticed in
their local environment, the more likely they were to especially appreciate one of these
organisms. Moreover, the more additional wild plants the children noticed due to the
programme, the higher was the increase in their appreciation of these species. This supports
the hypothesis that people first have to know species before they can develop a relationship
with them.

The programme was a positive experience for both pupils and their teachers. Children of all
age-groups particularly enjoyed the ‘Nature Gallery’ which provided opportunities to be
physically active, to engage with plants and animals, and to communicate their appreciation
of local species to others. However, with increasing time spent on the programme children
favoured the direct investigation of nature. Teachers gave the programme on average very
high ratings. The ratings given by the teachers and the learning gains of the pupils were
positively related. The high satisfaction of both pupils and their teachers with outdoor
activities ‘on the way to school’ supports the thesis that teachers should make more use of the
near surroundings of schools. Teachers from rural and urban areas carried out similar
activities during the programme and regarded the programme as a success.

In conclusion, Swiss children were able to name few of the plants and animals on their way to
school, indicating a lack of training in taxonomy in schools. Children found garden plants,
pets, and exotic mammals most attractive. The educational programme ‘Nature on the way to
school’ had a significant influence on children’s perception of species and preferences for
plants and animals. Participation in the educational programme increased both the perception
and appreciation of the local flora and fauna, and children’s awareness of its diversity and
abundance. Teachers should therefore be encouraged to make more use of educational
approaches that promote children’s active investigation of nature in the local environment. As

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the results of the present study show, this type of approach can be successful even in urban
areas. Environmental education programmes may lead to a better understanding of
biodiversity and a greater appreciation of local wild plants and animals and might thus
represent a small, but nevertheless important contribution to their conservation.

- Lindemann-Matthies, P. 2006. Investigating nature on the way to school: responses to an

educational programme by teachers and their pupils. International Journal of Science
Education 28: 895-918.

- Lindemann-Matthies, P. 2005. ‘Loveable’ mammals and ‘lifeless’ plants: how children’s

interest in common local organisms can be enhanced through observation of nature.
International Journal of Science Education 27: 655-677.

- Lindemann-Matthies, P. 2002. The influence of an educational program on children’s

perception of biodiversity. The Journal of Environmental Education 33: 22-31.

- Lindemann-Matthies, P. 2002. Wahrnehmung biologischer Vielfalt im Siedlungsraum

durch Schweizer Kinder. In: Klee, R., Bayrhuber, H. (Eds): Lehr- und Lernforschung in
der Biologiedidaktik. Band 1. Innsbruck, Studienverlag: 117-130.

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- Lindemann-Matthies, P. 2002. Vielfalt am Schulweg. In: Umweltdachverband (Eds):
Leben in Hülle und Fülle. Vielfältige Wege zur Biodiversität. Wien, Forum Umweltbil-
dung: 40-44.

- Lindemann-Matthies, P. 1999. Children’s perception of biodiversity in everyday life and

their preferences for species. PhD thesis, University of Zurich, 145 p.