Understanding ecological identity within environmental education programming

There are many theories of environmentalism, from historic to contemporary, and they can be interpreted in a variety of ways. One of these theories is ecological identity, which has been defined as how people perceive themselves in nature as living beings connected to the earth, though the author of this study found shortcomings with this definition. They expressed that this definition is based in Western ideologies of individualistic human connection with nature. Ecological identity can emerge through environmental education (EE) programming, place-based experiences, and other activities or events in nature. This study aimed to understand how participants in Operation Wild experience their EE programming, and how this may inform future programming and teaching. In using a participatory approach, the author also found this study led to a new understanding of ecological identity.

The study on focused on Operation Wild, an EE program developed by A Rocha, a faith-based nonprofit organization in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Operation Wild provides hands-on, accessible environmental education and nature-based experiences to adults with disabilities in an effort to build inclusive and engaged communities and support a healthy environment. Many of the individuals who participate in Operation Wild reside in assisted or independent living facilities, including Good Shepherd Centres of Hamilton. The researcher conducted interviews with three groups of individuals who comprised the program community: Operation Wild participants, A Rocha staff, and Good Shepherd staff. These interviews were semi-structured to allow participants to guide the discussion. The interviews, in part, asked participants what they connect with most at Operation Wild, what they know about the place where they live, do they feel they have a voice at their facility, and what would they change. Prior to conducting interviews, the researcher spent eight months facilitating programs with Operation Wild in order to develop trust and cultivate inclusive engagement with the community. After the interviews, a focus group was convened at the suggestion of a participant. This element helped the researcher better understand group dynamics and how participants can work together to enhance the Operation Wild program.

The researcher found that Operation Wild facilitated a sense of kinship amongst individuals in the program, pushing back on traditional Western environmentalism paradigms that highly prize individualism and autonomy. The program allowed participants to explore the eco-centric and relational dimensions of ecological identity through connecting with others as well as their environment. This type of connection is long rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing, that humans are part of a world of relationships with the earth.

Based on the interviews, the researcher developed a new theory: relational ecological identity. It encourages the interdependent and interactive components of human and non-human relationships to establish ecological identity rather than going through this process independently. For example, the participants at Operation Wild collaborated, whether intentionally or unintentionally, to develop a stronger sense of connectedness to nature through their collective experiences in the program. Participants noted that Operation Wild activities are accessible to a variety of individuals, incorporating physical, auditory, and other sensory aspects, allowing them to connect to the environment in different ways. The relational ecological identity demonstrated by the Operation Wild program community was collectively produced and primarily based on an empathy for the land, and in some cases inspired by place-based experiences. Some participants identified strong place-based connections but were also able to work on their ecological identity by focusing on the general ongoing connection with the earth rather than a specific place. They also expressed a desire to name aspects of the landscape, though not in an effort to colonize, but rather to connect to the land.

This study had limitations. The researcher only interviewed the program community from Operation Wild, limiting the generalizability of the study. The researcher noted that Operation Wild has roots in the Christian faith but has a religiously and culturally diverse audience, so it was not necessarily representative of the Christian community as a whole.

Based on these findings, the researcher recommended embracing a new theory of relational ecological identity that incorporates interactions with one's human community as well as the natural world to satisfy this deep human need to be connected to place. Practitioners may want to consider in their programming if they are supporting building an ecological identity that values this interdependence of communities. The researcher also underscored the importance of gathering the perspectives of program participants to identify any potential barriers to participation or suggestions for program design.