Examining the Impact of a Field Trip in Nature on Students' Environmental Perceptions and Feelings of Empowerment: A Case Study from the ACMES STEM Summer Camp

Abstract

Nearly 80% of the total American population lives within the urban sprawl, where rapid urbanization has contributed to an immense reduction of green space. Loss of woods, fields, and other green areas, in conjunction with adolescent preference for indoor and screen-based activities, has led to decreased time spent outdoors. However, studies show that time spent outdoors can lead to reduced rates of depression and anxiety, measurable decreases in blood pressure, and improvements in mood and confidence.  With an increase in rates of anxiety seen in adolescents over the past decade, spending time in the wilderness may prove to be an accessible method of anxiety mitigation. This study uses data collected from pre-post surveys (n=41) conducted during a STEM summer day camp field trip to Stokes State Forest in northwestern New Jersey to determine how exposure to nature contributes to adolescents’ environmental perceptions and feelings of empowerment, while also addressing critical methodological gaps that exist in previous studies. Respondents, who were of ages 10-13 at the time of data collection, were asked about their previous experiences of participating in nature-based activities, feelings of being in the natural environment, and concerns about the future. Results show that after the field trip ended, students felt more optimistic about the future and that they believed more strongly that human activity damaged the environment. A regression analysis indicates positive relationships between feelings of optimism and empowerment after the day in the forest, grade, and week attended, suggesting that younger children benefitted more than older children and that their camp mentor expertise, played a large influence on the campers. These results can be helpful for recognizing the value of adolescent’s nature-based experiences in improving their environmental perceptions.