The broad range of definitions of nature has created a complex web of values and perspectives across cultures and demographics. Conflicting values create obstacles for conservationists of varying degrees of difficulty to overcome.Cognitive learning skills ongoing struggles for conservation science may be solved through a common ground approach or early education method, in order to make enduring positive change.Cognitive learning skills in review of the literature, I will discuss changing perspectives and cultural interpretations of nature over time, explore the varying definitions of what nature is, and propose two approaches to combat disconnectedness and conflict in conservation.Cognitive learning skills

Traditionally, nature has been defined as the wild lands untouched by humankind (mckibben, 1989). Presently speaking, nature would have been dead millennia ago if we regarded it as such today.Cognitive learning skills since the earliest stages of human development our species has been transforming the land to their own purpose. Today we see the mostly inadvertent effects of our progress, from bleaching of corals on the great barrier reef to the melting ice caps in the polar regions.Cognitive learning skills there is nothing that is unchanged. Using the three rs of ecology, I will outline how perspectives of nature and our interaction with it have changed over time, summarise how nature may be defined based on different values, and offer two effective ways that may provide a robust foundation for successful and long-lasting conservation initiatives in future.Cognitive learning skills

Over time, society has seemingly passed through phases of conservational attitudes. Beginning in the 1960s, the outward perception of nature has transitioned from being valued as untamed wilderness in isolation of humans, through to ‘nature despite humans’, and eventually into nature and people together (mace, 2014).Cognitive learning skills each of these three apparent stages can represent the three rs of ecology. Reservation being the wilderness areas set aside from human impact, restoration as the efforts to reverse or reduce human impact on suffering ecosystems, and reconciliation being the latest step in a holistic approach to conservation ecology that encourages the development of durable ecosystems alongside or even among human activity.Cognitive learning skills the overarching theme across each of these stages is that humans, for the most part, value nature – whether its wild or novel.

There has been an enduring affinity for the environment, but individuals experience it to varying degrees and have varied perspectives of what counts as nature.Cognitive learning skills for some, it is simply the vision of trees that stimulates a positive response. Multiple studies on the effects of nature on concentration, stress and productivity have been carried out (nieuwenhuis et al., 2014; korpela et al., 2017).Cognitive learning skills from a study by lee (et al., 2015), there is evidence for a positive chemical response in the brain when presented with natural scenery and greenery.Cognitive learning skills the experiment used a control group, staring at a concrete roof while the experimental group stared at a wildflower green roof. After each participant completed a task before and after the 40-second ‘micro-break’ staring at respective scenes, the results were compared and provided compelling evidence supporting a more relaxed state of mind (reduced cortisol levels) and greater concentration capabilities (fewer omission errors made in subsequent test by nature test group) induced by exposure to nature.Cognitive learning skills

Whilst earlier critical reviews debated the effectiveness of indoor plants alone on cognitive states (bringslimark et al., 2009) suggesting that results were ‘quite mixed’ due to mixed experimental settings, measures, and exposure durations, the above and more recent experiments by korpela, lee and nieuwenhuis and their colleagues provide substantial evidence for multiple benefits to humans.Cognitive learning skills in our modern lives, filled with office work and classroom learning, why would we not value the benefits shown in multiple other experiments?Cognitive learning skills if only for the sake of increased productivity, humankind can directly benefit from nature’s integration with our everyday lives.

Traditionally, nature was unexplored wilderness areas, not butterflies you see in the public local gardens.Cognitive learning skills an aversion to modified or managed nature may stem from early contributors to ecology and natural history. For example, influential naturalist john muir embedded value for ‘pristine’ landscapes and spurned marred landscapes of human society.Cognitive learning skills he wrote, “only by going alone in silence, without baggage, can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness. All other travel is mere dust and hotels and baggage and chatter” (bade, 1924).Cognitive learning skills this fixation on untouched wilderness has in recent times been supported by authors such as mckibben (1989), suggesting that nature can only be defined as that which is unaffected by humankind.Cognitive learning skills as all forms of nature we see today are at least indirectly affected by humans (marris, 2011), we see only ‘artificial nature’ (mckibben, 1989).Cognitive learning skills

Despite virginal nature being an unrealistic concept as humankind has altered its landscape since we were able to cognitively assess it, this value of ‘unaltered habitat’ causes significant issues.Cognitive learning skills people place a lot of value a wilderness landscapes, but these landscapes are among the most highly managed. There is little that is wild about them.Cognitive learning skills windjana gorge national park in the kimberley, western australia, sees over 250,000 tourists per year and boasts modern amenities such as toilets, carparks, rubbish cages, campgrounds and visitor centres (department of biodiversity, conservation & attractions, on tourism).Cognitive learning skills aside from these obvious accommodations to an apparent wilderness area, the park also employs the below list of management strategies (department of biodiversity, conservation & attractions, on management):

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Much of who we are and what we believe is determined by our experience. What if we were to change the way we view the world before we have established behaviours?Cognitive learning skills the wonder and fascination for nature naturally present in children may be one of the most powerful tools we have for conservation. As children are born with an intrinsic sense of awe and curiosity about nature (kagan, 1984), the task of establishing an environmentally conscious lifestyle goes hand in hand with a fostered love of the natural world.Cognitive learning skills the early adopters of environmentally friendly practice in society will share ideas and converse with others through their own social networks, but the power of education is a valuable tool to affect real change on a massive scale.Cognitive learning skills

Educational programmes inspiring the newest generations to act on behalf of the planet, or to simply value the beauty of living things around them are increasing on a global scale.Cognitive learning skills beginning as early as 3 years of age, forest schools in norway provide uncleared immersion spaces on the forest floor that encourage exploration and investigation of their surroundings (everythingchild, 2016).Cognitive learning skills the ‘ecolutionary’ movement led by ron finley in south los angeles encourages children (and any others willing to participate) to transform derelict neighbourhoods and empty lots into cultivated food gardens (finley, 2013).Cognitive learning skills A comment from the co-founder of mossom hatchery rod macvicar, “we’re not raising fish, we’re raising citizens” (strandberg, 2019), beautifully summarises the importance of these nature-based education experiences.Cognitive learning skills it is not a theoretical understanding of the earth’s processes that promotes human connectivity to the land, but real-world experiences. By gaining a first-hand appreciation for its beauty, we can reliably expect investment in nature’s future.Cognitive learning skills

However, is indoctrinating children with an appreciation of nature the only way? At best, this educative approach will only go so far. Children are shaped and influenced by experiences all through life and are likely to develop and diverge from a straight and narrow path.Cognitive learning skills how then can we negotiate conservation science with an independent adult community? In essence, it is understood that values cannot be changed (manfredo et al., 2017).Cognitive learning skills minds, conversely, are malleable and capable of compromise. As such, the search for common grounds in conservation conflict, or co-benefits, will likely lead us to a more robust and reconciliatory approach to nature conservation as neither party involved in a dispute sees themselves as ‘losing’.Cognitive learning skills in our urgency to protect at-risk species, our haste may result in solutions that receive backlash from other invested parties, seen in the case of the pelorus mountain goat outlined in the paper by yanco (et al., 2019) in which the use of introduced dingoes equipped with slow release poisons was inaccurately portrayed as a natural solution to removing an invasive species, and so ultimately fails.Cognitive learning skills common ground unites people and their efforts. Rather than aggravating issues the approach should be one of balance, transparency and formed from like-concerns and desired outcomes.Cognitive learning skills

If we were to move away from the demands for idealistic ‘pristine’ habitats, an outdated concept even before it was conceived, and look, metaphorically and literally, to our own backyards we may unexpectedly find nature to be thriving.Cognitive learning skills nature is not just the beautiful parklands in the kimberley region. Nature is your overgrown vacant suburbian lots turned to productive food gardens, the half-cleared woodlands in norway hosting a junior class, the hatchery teaching the life history of fishes.Cognitive learning skills

Encouraging a generation of nature lovers through early education with aims to overhaul traditional concepts and broaden our definitions of what nature is, may be a promising way forward for conservation ecology.Cognitive learning skills if accompanied by a change of approach in conflict management to focus on co-benefits, common grounds and core values we can action effective plans to reconnect with nature, conserve it and develop alongside it.Cognitive learning skills