CANADA - An Intergenerational Project on Education and Environmental Awareness

Senators of the Environment:

An Intergenerational Project on

Education and Environmental Awareness

Identification of the case study and initial situation

A viable community development and research project is now being carried out in Cap-Pelé, a coastal village in southeastern New Brunswick, Canada. The majority of inhabitants of this Acadian community, which has a population of roughly 2,100, are seasonal workers: fishermen, employees of herring drying plants and seafood or fish processing plants, and farmers. During the summer months, the village's sandy beaches become a popular tourist destination and represent an expanding economic resource.

Unfortunately, even though work continues in the factories and along the coast, ocean resources are declining, the condition of streams and rivers is deteriorating, and the salt marshes, which are the breeding grounds for many animal species, are damaged. Furthermore, biodiversity is decreasing and mollusks found in intertidal areas are often contaminated. Some inhabitants of Cap-Pelé have been aware of these threats to the environment for some time but, prior to our intervention, had no forum to express their concerns.

The Change Process

One of the goals of the Cap-Pelé project was to revitalize natural resources such as streams, the coastal area and the salt marshes and then possibly develop these resources for ecotourism. The project was undertaken in collaboration with the municipal government and also included research objectives. Researchers from the University of Moncton (a specialist in environmental education and a sociologist) sought to develop educational techniques for improving the relationship between inhabitants and their environment and fostering local accountability for environmental conditions.

Phase 1

The first phase of the project began in 1995-1996 with the selection of an initial intergenerational group composed of 25 fourth-grade schoolchildren and six retired adults. These individuals, who have more free time than the working population, were also recruited because of their potential complementarity from both an emotional and environmental point of view. Older people have long experience with the elements of their environment, whereas nine-year-old children are more like active explorers of the same environment. The intervention with this group began with a preliminary study of the relationship between the individuals and their environment. Both the older adults and the schoolchildren were questioned in order to determine, for example, their attachment to their natural and constructed environment, the frequency of their contact with different facets of their environment, their likelihood of making gestures to help the environment, their ability to identify disturbed areas, their sense of community identity, etc. Subsequently, a model for educational intervention was developed and tested on the older adults and schoolchildren over a ten-month period. The educational process that was implemented with both groups together consisted of visiting five of the village's ecosystems in order to a****s, analyze and recognize their components and then sharing impressions, projecting a vision for the future of their village and carrying out an environmental action. After numerous explorations and considerable discussion about environmental conditions, the group decided to unblock a section of Friel Stream that an inhabitant had obstructed in order to make a pond. Phase 1 of the project ended when the stream began to flow again and the group of retired persons asked the university researchers to pursue their educational activity at the village level. The retirees then decided to take the name Senators of the Environment, picked out other social groups that might become involved and identified other problems to be solved.

Based on a post a****sment, the researchers found that the schoolchildren, through their experience, had improved their knowledge of bio-regional ecosystems, increased the frequency of their contact with the natural environment, modified their recreational habits in relation to the environment and undertaken protective actions. The older people had increased their attachment to their environment and their community, the frequency of their contact with the environment and their tendency to take action.

Phase 2

The social groups identified by the Senators of the Environment were fishermen, park workers, the Knights of Columbus and two school groups (fourth and seventh-grade children). The problems targeted were the devitalization of a salt marsh, the lack of vegetation in the village and other problems related to the Friel Stream. The researchers felt that, this time, the research project could consist of carrying out short-term educational interventions and then verifying that the interventions created a desire to take action among the various groups of participants. If such a desire were generated, to what socio-cultural and educational factors could this desire be attributed? With the assistance of graduate students in education and environmental sciences, various educational interventions of three to four hours each were then carried out with the different groups, followed by an invitation to solve a problem. To the researchers' great surprise, all five groups decided to become involved in solving a problem, sometimes in collaboration with other groups. The socio-cultural and educational factors motivating the desire to take action were varied: cognitive dissonance at the moment of visual observation of the stream, the use of success stories, information provided by specialists, an impression of facility and skill in the face of the task, regional pride, availability of information, etc. The five groups are presently involved in a problem-solving process during which the researchers-facilitators use creative thinking techniques (synectics, Osborn techniques, sociodrama, mind mapping, etc.) to encourage the development of new solutions likely to attract the attention of tourists to this increasingly green village.

Results

Social groups appear to accept accountability for the environment in a progressive fashion. New partnerships are created and social networks are strengthened. The municipal government appears to be paying more and more attention to the project and the media are beginning to publicize it. Groups traditionally little recognized by society (youth, the elderly, the unemployed and the illiterate) are gradually becoming aware of their power to modify the future of their environment. In light of their experience, the Senators of the Environment offer advice to all these groups and are regaining confidence in their productive potential. The researchers believe that other groups will soon become involved in this green movement, which should, over time, have economic ramifications. Beautification of the village and the creation of a nature trail through the salt marsh are likely to attract tourists, while revitalization of the streams and the marsh can have an impact on the life cycle of the area's fish stock.

Phase 3 of the project will consist of educating other Senators of the Environment in two other coastal villages. The researchers will purchase computers that will allow the Senators of the three villages to exchange information on their respective environments and gain access to the Internet. The village of Cap-Pelé has now become a field site (a location recognized for its environmental accountability) linked to the "Réseau des Veilleurs de la Biosphère" in Montreal. The research project for this next phase will focus on ways to educate retirees about the environment and new information and communication techniques. The team sociologist will also conduct a study on the development of social cohesion in the villages as a result of the project.

Lessons

The lessons drawn from this experience are as follows:

Phase 1

• Medium-term educational interventions (one year) comprising activities of a****sment, analysis, vision and action can permanently modify the learners' relationship with their environment.

• The elderly and young schoolchildren enjoy working together on solving environmental problems. The children bring trust, affection and a sense of wonder to older people, while the older people share with children their experience of ecosystems.

• Working together to accomplish an environmental action is a source of pride and empowerment.

• Older people sometimes want to undertake educational activities related to the environment without involving the children, and they are more eager for information.

• It is important to keep the municipal government and community leaders informed and to involve them in the various phases of such projects.

Phase 2

• Numerous types of short-term educational interventions can motivate social groups to take action: awareness-raising and a****sment activities, success stories, information adapted to the group's interests, observation of the harmful effects of a problem in the field, etc. Simply transmitting knowledge is not the most effective approach.

• Numerous socio-cultural factors can influence a group's desire to take action: the impression that a task is easy, a sense of skill, the desire for recognition, economic repercussions, etc.

• Experiential learning (contact with the resource and the problem) is essential in environmental education.

• Once they have regained confidence in their capacities, older people can take responsibility for the environmental future of their village, in partnership with other social groups.

Conclusion

The uniqueness of the project described above lies in the partnership developed between elderly retirees and young schoolchildren (two social groups traditionally considered non-productive by society), a partnership which ultimately had the effect of mobilizing other community groups. Another innovative dimension of the project is the use of educational techniques to promote relationships and action.

(Source: The World Bank/WBI’s CBNRM Initiative)

Authors: Diane Pruneau and Omer Chouinard

- Ryan Wei -