Can a Guided Zoo Tour Improve Connection to Nature?

Abstract

Humans’ connections to nature have been declining over time. This is problematic because people with a weaker connections to nature pay less attention to the environment and tend to show less environmentally friendly behavior. Environmental education programs are one way to address our declining connection to nature. In our study, we examined whether a 1-h guided zoo tour could improve high school students’ connections to nature. We also examined the impact of five add-ons to the tour (feeding giraffes or meerkats, a behind-the-scenes look, a keeper talk, and a visit to the petting zoo). We found that even a short environmental education program can increase students’ connections to nature. Special experiences, such as feeding a giraffe, showed a particularly positive effect, while negative experiences, such as disgust, led to a slightly negative effect. Our study provides evidence for the effectiveness of short environmental education programs in reconnecting people to nature.