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Poster Short Abstract

We explore whether citizen science and nature-based activities can influence rural adolescents’ attitudes and behaviors toward nature in a region skeptical of nature conservation and democracy. Initial feedback shows varied responses and highlights citizen science's potential and limits.

Poster Abstract

In regions marked by societal and landscape transformations, where skepticism toward nature conservation and democratic values is widespread, fostering nature awareness and pro-nature behavior among young people poses a particular challenge. This study explores whether participatory approaches like citizen science can contribute to changing adolescents’ attitudes and behaviors toward nature. In a rural area characterized by low engagement with and ambivalence toward both conservation efforts and democratic participation, we organized different one-day interventions for youth: (1) a citizen science birdwatching project, (2) a plant mapping activity, in which the collected data were used as part of an ongoing citizen science initiative. These interventions were designed to test whether direct engagement with nature, especially through contributing to a larger scientific effort, can influence young people's nature connectedness, environmental attitudes, behavior or motivation towards citizen science. While final data analysis is still underway, initial qualitative feedback suggests that participants responded in diverse ways to the different formats, with potential shifts in perspectives varying significantly between individuals and groups. This exploratory study provides first insights into how tailored nature-based activities might be used to engage youth in regions traditionally disengaged from conservation, and highlights the potential and limitations of citizen science as a transformative tool in environmental education.

On the poster will be presented the study design, which includes surveys of students through questionnaires and qualitative statements from students and teachers regarding the different project days. Preliminary statistical data from the interventions will be available by March, allowing for initial quantitative analyses to be shared alongside qualitative insights. I will also discuss challenges and opportunities in implementing citizen science in politically and environmentally skeptical rural contexts undergoing social and landscape transformations.