This comprehensive review provides essential guidance for environmental educators interested in leveraging education for ecosystem restoration. Place-based education (PBE) is a pedagogical approach that emphasizes the connection between learning processes and the physical place in which teachers and students are located. It incorporates the meanings and experiences of place in teaching and learning, extending beyond the walls of the school. It prioritizes experiential, community-based, and contextual/ecological learning.
The research reveals that effective PBE approaches require students to become knowledge creators rather than consumers, engaging directly with local ecosystems through hands-on investigation and community partnership. The study emphasizes that successful environmental restoration education extends beyond traditional nature awareness programs to include critical examination of political and economic systems that impact ecosystem health.
The analysis shows that biophysical dimension programs, which directly connect students with natural environments, often utilize location-based learning, inquiry-based methodologies, and technology integration to enhance understanding of ecosystem dynamics. These approaches position students as active investigators of local environmental challenges, from water quality monitoring to habitat restoration projects. However, the review indicates that many programs lack the critical dimension necessary for addressing root causes of ecosystem degradation.
The socio-cultural dimension emerges as particularly significant for environmental educators, with successful programs integrating indigenous knowledge systems and community-based learning approaches. These programs recognize that effective ecosystem restoration requires understanding traditional ecological knowledge and engaging diverse community stakeholders in collaborative stewardship. The research highlights examples where students work with community mentors on climate change documentation and habitat restoration, creating lasting environmental impact beyond the classroom.
The study reveals concerning findings about program sustainability and integration. With 60% of PBE programs delivered by external organizations rather than embedded in formal curricula, environmental educators face challenges in creating long-term ecosystem restoration impact. The review suggests that environmental restoration education requires systemic integration into school curricula rather than relying on temporary external interventions.
For environmental educators focused on ecosystem restoration, the research emphasizes the importance of developing "globally-oriented PBE" that connects local ecosystem challenges to broader environmental patterns while maintaining deep place-based engagement. The study concludes that effective environmental restoration education must position students as legitimate participants in community-based ecosystem stewardship, moving beyond traditional environmental awareness toward active restoration practice and environmental citizenship development.
The Bottom Line
This systematic review examines place-based education (PBE) literature from 2002-2022, revealing critical insights for environmental educators seeking to use education as a tool for ecosystem restoration. Through analysis of 149 peer-reviewed articles, the study identifies four key dimensions of PBE implementation: (1) biophysical connections that link students directly with local ecosystems and environmental processes, (2) socio-cultural approaches that integrate community knowledge and indigenous wisdom into environmental learning, (3) political-economic frameworks that address environmental justice and systemic issues affecting ecosystem health, and (4) psychological dimensions that develop personal environmental identity and place attachment. The findings reveal that while 54% of PBE programs focus on environmental education and science, most are delivered by external organizations rather than integrated into formal curricula, potentially limiting their ecosystem restoration impact. The research suggests environmental educators should move beyond traditional classroom-based environmental awareness toward experiential, community-embedded approaches that position students as active ecosystem stewards rather than passive recipients of environmental knowledge.