From childhood nature experiences to classroom practice: factors associated with biodiversity education among japanese teachers

Biodiversity education is essential for addressing global biodiversity loss, yet its implementation varies widely among teachers. Formal education provides a key opportunity to foster long-term environmental awareness and shape attitudes toward nature, but the implementation and effectiveness of biodiversity education are likely to vary depending on teachers’ individual characteristics, including their knowledge, attitudes, and commitment to environmental issues. This study examines how teachers’ personal experiences and psychological connectedness to nature influence biodiversity education practices. Responses from elementary and junior high school teachers in Japan were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results showed a consistent pattern: childhood nature experiences (CNE) were positively associated with nature relatedness (NR), which in turn was positively associated with the number of biodiversity education practices. Age had no direct effect on practice implementation. Elementary school and science teachers reported more practices than junior high school and non-science teachers. Teachers also identified key challenges, including limited time, insufficient knowledge, and lack of teaching materials. These findings highlight the importance of experiential and psychological factors, alongside institutional constraints, in shaping biodiversity education practices.