I grew up on a family farm, with ample opportunity to roam around outdoors and discover nature. As a boy, E.O. Wilson was absorbed by the bugs in Washington, D.C.'s Rock Creek Park, which led him to become the world's preeminent biologist and a prominent voice for conservation. Most environmentalists I know trace their passion for nature back to their early experiences outdoors. Now we call it environmental education. But it's essential.
Environmental education is more than just teaching facts and information.
It's also about inspiring a love of nature, a personal bond with the outdoors that fosters a desire to protect the environment. It's a big job, and Audubon Centers can't do it alone. We need local schools to be fully engaged with us in nature education. We need to reauthorize and strengthen the National Environmental Education Act, which provides training for teachers, science-based resources, and online information to schools around the country. Passed in 1990, the National Environmental Education Act is up for review in Congress this year.