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In recent decades, zoos have been increasingly transformed into education centers with the goal of raising awareness about environmental issues and providing environmental education. Probably the simplest and most widespread environmental education program in the zoo is the guided tour. This study therefore aims to test whether a one hour zoo tour has an influence on the participants’ connection to nature and attitude towards species conservation. For this purpose, 269 people who had voluntarily registered for a zoo tour were surveyed before and after the tour. In addition to the regular zoo tour, special themed tours and tours with animal feedings were included. The results show a positive increase in connection to nature and a strengthening of positive attitudes towards species conservation for all tour types. For nature connectedness, in particular, people with an initial high connection to nature benefitted from the special themed tours and the tours, including animal feedings. For attitudes towards species conservation, no difference was found between the tour types. The results prove the positive influence of a very simple environmental education program, even for people with a preexisting high level of connection to nature and positive attitude towards species conservation.
Zoos attract millions of visitors every year, many of whom are schoolchildren. For this reason, zoos are important institutions for the environmental education of future generations. Empirical studies on the educational impact of environmental education programs in zoos are still rare. To address this issue, we conducted two studies: In study 1, we investigated students’ interests in different biological topics, including zoos (n = 1,587). Data analysis of individual topics revealed large differences of interest, with advanced students showing less interest in zoos. In study 2, we invited school classes of this age group to visit different guided tours at the zoo and tested connection to nature before and after each educational intervention (n = 608). The results showed that the guided tours are an effective tool to raise students’ connection to nature. Add-on components have the potential to further promote connection to nature. The education programs are most effective with students with a low initial nature connection.
Bereits 1993 wurde am Botanischen Garten der Universität Osnabrück eine Grüne Schule gegründet. Viele Vorüberlegungen, wegbereitende Maßnahmen und persönliches Engagement waren der Gründung vorausgegangen. Die Grüne Schule Osnabrück entwickelte sich schnell und verfügt heute über ein pädagogisches Programm für Schulen aller Schulformen und Klassenstufen sowie Kindergärten. Darüber hinaus können interessierte Erwachsenengruppen in allgemeinen Gartenführungen oder speziellen Themenführungen die Vielfalt des Botanischen Gartens erleben. Im Freizeitbereich engagiert sich die Grüne Schule bei Kindergeburtstagen, Ferienpassaktionen oder kulturellen Veranstaltungen des Botanischen Gartens sowie bei Aktivitäten des Verbandes Botanischer Gärten e.V. Grundlegender Anspruch ist es, wissenschaftliche Themen für die Öffentlichkeit didaktisch aufzubereiten, um biologische Zusammenhänge möglichst lebendig zu vermitteln.