When people acquire a deep knowledge of a particular place, they care what happens to the landscape, creatures, and people in it. They understand its ecology and diversity, the web of relations it supports, and the rhythm of its cycles.
They learn about its history and cultural traditions. They develop an appreciation for and sense of kinship with their surroundings.
Places known and loved deeply have the best chance to be protected and preserved, so that they will be cherished and cared for by future generations. The "sense of wonder" invoked by Rachel Carson and David W. Orr takes root when children experience a place in depth over time.
A movement from close and familiar to far and strange also mirrors the development of children's minds, writes place-based education researcher David Sobel: "I'm anxiously awaiting a good explanation why it's important for second-graders to know the order of the planets from Mercury to Pluto. Wouldn't it be more useful to develop a solid understanding of the town the second-grader lives in?" (Place-Based Education, the Orion Society, 2004).
Devising locally based solutions to local problems recognizes diversity, inspires sustainable practices, and strengthens community.
