The study identified that the majority of national parks (84.6%) offer at least one type of climate change educational resource. The most commonly provided resources are:
- Field trips (69.2%)
- Teacher workshops/professional development (58.9%)
- In-person classroom visits (53.8%)
- Virtual classroom visits (51.2%)
Most resources (87.6%) are free of cost, making them accessible to educators with budget constraints.
The climate change content covered across these resources addresses multiple aspects of climate change:
- General climate change (56.4%)
- Species impacts (51.3%)
- Weather changes (30.8%)
- Ecological effects (23.1%)
- Temperature changes (20.5%)
Most resources focus on place-based learning, connecting climate change to local park features and community impacts. This place-based approach makes climate change more relevant and tangible for students.
The major strengths of these resources include active learning opportunities, relevance to students' lives, and student-focused approaches that connect learners to the natural world. As one park employee noted, they help "younger students to develop a deep-seated love for the natural world surrounding them."
Limitations include restricted materials (some parks have minimal climate change resources), limited grade-level distribution (resources may target only certain ages), and challenges with outreach and communication (getting resources to educators). Another notable gap is that few resources address climate action, despite its importance in climate change education.
The researchers suggest several practical applications for environmental educators:
- Educators should strategically leverage national park resources as part of a network of resources. National parks function as social resources that provide access to additional material resources.
- Begin climate change instruction at the local level using place-based resources from nearby national parks, then broaden to national and global perspectives.
- Use national park websites or contact park employees directly to access available resources.
- Take advantage of professional development opportunities offered by national parks to enhance knowledge about teaching climate change.
- Recognize that while individual parks may have limitations in their offerings, collectively the national park system provides comprehensive climate change education materials.
The researchers also call for national parks to create a centralized repository for sharing their collective resources, making it easier for educators to access the full range of materials available across the park system. This collaboration would benefit both park employees and educators through strategic resource sharing.
The Bottom Line
This article examines the climate change educational resources (CCER) available across national parks in the United States. Researchers surveyed employees from 39 national parks to identify what resources are offered, what climate change topics they cover, and their perceived strengths and limitations. The study found that national parks collectively provide a diverse range of educational resources addressing various climate change topics, with field trips being the most commonly offered resource (69.2%). While individual parks may have limitations in their offerings, collectively they provide comprehensive climate change education materials. The researchers conclude that environmental educators should leverage these resources for both formal and informal learning environments, and that national parks should collaborate to create a centralized location for sharing their collective resources.