Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the rest of the curriculum, and (6) incorporating research and evaluation. The follow-
ing sections discuss these considerations in greater detail.
Authentic Participation and Stakeholder Involvement
Active, authentic public participation lends itself to the long-term viability of restora-
tion projects (Light 2002; Miller and Hobbs 2002; Phalen 2009). There is growing
recognition that interdisciplinary approaches to integrate social sciences into the work
of ecological restoration are needed (Grimm et al. 2000; Helford 2000; Ryan 2000;
Redman et al. 2004). Public participation requires meaningful involvement of stake-
holders beyond the traditional, one-way communication structure of public hearings.
Today's level of environmental complexity calls for innovative and inclusive pro-
cesses that promote learning and creative problem solving. A recent development in
this area is the Reasonable Person Model (Kaplan and Kaplan 2003), and it can be
used to address restoration processes and public engagement (Phalen 2009). In-
formed by environmental psychology, the Reasonable Person Model operates under
the assumptions that when a person's cognitive map-building ability is engaged in
meaningful action, the individual tends to respond more cooperatively and reason-
ably. While more research is needed to test this (and other) models of participation,
the premise of authentically engaging the public while enhancing their understand-
ing of complex environmental issues is a reasonable assumption to make in light of in-
adequate research. Better to err on the side of education.
Other researchers and educators are exploring civic ecology practices and re-
silience attributes as they pertain to community greening, particularly in urban areas.
As one approach to EE, civic ecology practices include participatory action and em-
phasize democratic processes while exploring environmental issues (Light 2002).
Community-based restoration projects can fall within this framework, as do other
practices, such as watershed restoration, community forestry, and community gardens
(Tidball 2008). Resilience attributes of cultural diversity, ecosystem services, diverse
knowledge and experience, adaptive learning, social learning, self-organization, and
social capital all contribute to resilient social-ecological systems. More participatory,
action-oriented approaches lend themselves to moving beyond instrumental purposes
of behavior change toward more democratically oriented approaches. Doing so would
more fully realize the participation ideals in the United Nations Educational, Scien-
tific, and Cultural Organization's guiding documents about environmental education
and education for sustainable development (UNESCO 1978, 2005).
Encourage Partnerships
There are exciting partnerships taking place across the United States and internation-
ally to support RBE in formal and nonformal (non-school-based) settings. A variety of
natural resource agencies, organizations, museums, and other nonformal educational
institutions recognize the importance of environmental education and science edu-
