Abstract
In order to foster leaders and supporters of fixed-point observation for sustainable forest management, it is considered effective to focus on students who have demonstrated potential for fixed-point observations of forests in the universal education stage. This study aims to identify the characteristics of students who frequently conduct plant observations, which is the basis for the fixed-point observation of forests, including methods involving photography. We conducted a questionnaire survey, which consisted of 19 questions that provided insight into junior high school students’ experiences, opportunities, and interests related to plant observation. We compared students who have conducted plant observations with those who have not, using Fisher’s exact test and multiple comparisons using the Benjamini and Hochberg method. The ratio of students who frequently conducted plant observations was significantly higher among female students than male students, and their characteristics differed by gender. The significant characteristics of male students included farm work experience and niche hobbies such as camping and lighting a bonfire, as well as using digital single-lens reflex cameras for photography; female students had relatively niche hobbies such as enjoying science. Students who increased the frequency of plant observations after the lecture about fixed-point observations of forests had an inclination toward social studies and tended not to use a smartphone for photography.
Highlights
In order to achieve the sustainable management of forests, it is important to understand forests from multiple viewpoints, including those beyond traditional forestry topics [1]
We aimed to identify the characteristics of students who frequently conduct plant observations, which is the basis for fixed-point observations of forests and includes both scientific and aesthetic observation
We focused on the students who increased the frequency of their plant observations after the lecture on December 2016, as per Q_Nos. 16–19, to identify the characteristics of students who were encouraged to observe or photograph plants by the lecture
Summary
In order to achieve the sustainable management of forests, it is important to understand forests from multiple viewpoints, including those beyond traditional forestry topics [1]. Sustainability here refers to the need for a long-term perspective of creating more desirable forests for future generations. Many studies have been conducted to predict long-term changes to biodiversity and carbon fixation in order to manage forests with a long-term perspective considering future generations [4,5]. As a fundamental means of verification, it is considered effective to continue to observe forests holistically as a landscape over the long term [8]. In this context, fixed-point observation by Forests 2018, 9, 328; doi:10.3390/f9060328 www.mdpi.com/journal/forests
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