Read this German study (March 2025): From nature experience to pro-conservation action: How generational amnesia and declining nature-relatedness shape behaviour intentions of adolescents and adults.
This study examined urban green area visit frequency, nature-relatedness, identification skills and familiarity with species (plants, birds and butterflies) and pro-conservation behaviour intentions in adolescents (15–17 years), young adults (18–29 years) and older adults (> 30 years) in Germany.
Although all age groups visited green areas similarly, identification skills, nature-relatedness and intentions declined progressively from older to younger groups. Nature-relatedness predicted intentions and identification skills predicted nature-relatedness across all groups.
The findings support the importance of fostering nature-relatedness and species knowledge through age-sensitive access to urban green areas with opportunities to connect with and learn about nature.
