Problem Statement
The degradation of socioecological systems, characterized by climate change and biodiversity loss, has led to a decline in ecosystem services, significantly impacting human well-being worldwide. Concurrently, there is a growing concern regarding “nature deficit disorder,” a term coined by Richard Louv, highlighting the consequences of decreased nature exposure on physical and mental health, particularly in children.

Approach
Nature centers serve as vital community hubs in the U.S. and beyond, playing a crucial role in shaping environmental attitudes and behaviors across generations. While anecdotal evidence suggests that these institutions can inspire positive change (Evans & Chipman-Evans, 1999), their specific audiences and goals have not been comprehensively evaluated for over two decades. This gap is concerning given the ongoing challenges in environmental literacy and the emergence of new environmental movements globally.

Research Goals
Our study assesses the current settings, audiences, and objectives of nature centers in the United States and extend this analysis globally through multinational surveys in over 15 countries. We will compare findings to historical data from Holtz (1976) and Simmons (1991) to understand the evolution of nature centers over the past 45 years. A key objective is to evaluate whether the goals of nature centers align with those of the environmental education (EE) movement, discussing the implications of this alignment or divergence for community engagement and environmental stewardship.