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The article focuses on an undergraduate upper-level history course titled "Food Will Win the War: Food Policy during World War II" at Virginia Commonwealth University. The author discusses how the course presented victory gardening, enhanced student research, and impacted students relationship with nature.

Engagement with and study of nature is increasingly important for science literacy and civic engagement. Spurred on by challenges of the Anthropocene, many informal learning institutions are exploring how their collections, programs, and scientific expertise can be mobilized to create new naturalist learning pathways for children and youth. In this paper, we explore retrospective life histories of 18 adult naturalists to examine experiences that they recall supporting their interest development in the natural world. Drawing on interest and informal learning literature, our analysis reveals how elements across the learning ecology, including school, family, and out‐of‐school learning, work together to support the development of naturalist practices and identities. We found that interest development in nature occurred across the learning ecology and that expression of situational or individual interest depended on the participants' age and the type of learning experience. A closer examination of three individual cases—a serious amateur naturalist, an environmental educator, and an ecologist—reveals some of the nuanced ways that interest in nature arises, is maintained, and can eventually develop into a deep, lifelong naturalist identity. We consider implications for how one might conceptualize and support informal learning pathways that involve deep engagement with and connections to nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers suggest there is an increasing apathy in the study of natural history in academic settings and in the scientific community. However, most studies of environmental knowledge do not address knowledge of local flora and fauna; they are concerned with the knowledge of environmental issues or broad ecological knowledge. Ecoliteracy established local natural history as fundamental to environmental knowledge and seeks to determine the knowledge of local environments and factors associated with that knowledge. This study investigated ecoliteracy in Mississippi, determining knowledge of local flora and fauna of undergraduate and graduate students at the largest universities. Ecoliteracy levels in Mississippi were low. Students had a rudimentary knowledge of local flora and fauna, despite coursework in natural history. Students majoring in wildlife and fisheries and biology had more advanced knowledge of local flora and fauna than non-biology majors. Students were most knowledgeable of reptiles and amphibians, and least of fish and endangered species. The number of environmental courses taken and environmental sensitivity were positively correlated with ecoliteracy, and were strong predictors of ecoliteracy. Ecoliteracy was influenced by coursework and experience with degree programs including fieldwork. Natural history knowledge was deficient at Mississippi universities. Researchers suggest reintroducing coursework focused on ecoliteracy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this paper is to document the spread of Dyssodia papposa (Asteraceae; Fetid Dogweed) along roadsides in eastern Canada. Fetid Dogweed is reported new to the provinces of Manitoba and Québec, Canada, and has greatly expanded its range along southern Ontario highways in the past 15 years. It is expected to continue to expand in northeastern North America. The distinctive appearance of this plant combined with earlier botanical fieldwork along Ontario highways makes it highly unlikely that this species was previously overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the life and work of Lloyd Burgess Sharp, educator of outdoor education in the U.S. Because of his contribution to the field, he is considered to be the Father of Outdoor Education. The author claimed that Sharp's outdoor education will forever be etched in the minds of those who have followed his pioneering efforts.

Although educators widely use school gardens for experiential education, researchers have not systematically examined the evaluative literature on school-gardening outcomes. The author reviewed the U. S. literature on children's gardening, taking into account potential effects, school-gardening outcomes, teacher evaluations of gardens as learning tools, and methodological issues. Quantitative studies showed positive outcomes of school-gardening initiatives in the areas of science achievement and food behavior, but they did not demonstrate that children's environmental attitude or social behavior consistently improve with gardening. Validity and reliability issues reduced general confidence in these results. Qualitative studies documented a wider scope of desirable outcomes, including an array of positive social and environmental behaviors. Gardening enthusiasm varies among teachers, depending on support and horticultural confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the effect of wave action on movement in the owl limpet, Lottia gigantea, in Santa Cruz, California. The section tests the expected curtail movement of limpets, and reports, for the first time, that natural variation in wave energy is correlated with the decision to move: movement in the owl limpet Lottia gigantea is inhibited at high tide during periods of relatively larger waves. Theoretical measurements and considerations of tenacity gathered predicts that intertidal gastropods should minimize the chances of dislodgement during periods of high waves by remaining stationary.

The Asiatic oak weevil [Cyrtepistomus castaneus (Roelofs 1873), Coleoptera: Curculionidae] was detected in New Jersey in 1983 and is now abundant throughout deciduous forests in the Eastern and Midwestern United States. Laboratory feeding trials had suggested a broad range of acceptable hosts for C. castaneus, but field studies were needed to corroborate these findings. We quantified host tree associations of C. castaneus by comparing its abundance among crowns of 66 trees (representing six species) in forests of Ohio and Indiana. The 1827 individuals collected during the study were not equally distributed across tree species; mean proportional abundance was significantly higher on Quercus alba (white oak), Q. rubra (northern red oak) and Acer rubrum (red maple). The high abundance of C. castaneus on Quercus spp. is consistent with laboratory studies and natural history information. However, its presence on A. rubrum and Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip poplar) - a Magnoliaceae - had not been documented in field studies. These results Indicate that C. castaneus has broad host tree associations. We suggest that researchers conduct further field and experimental studies on C. castaneus to better understand its biology and potential for invading forested areas outside of its present geographic range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many rural communities are examining nature tourism options, such as birdwatching (birding), as an economic development strategy. Unfortunately,public media stories, tourism professionals, and biologists often describe birders as a homogeneous group of serious, dedicated, and even fanatical visitors willing to spend large sums of money in their pursuit.Consistent with past research, we contend that birders constitute a hetero-geneous group of recreationists. Using recreational specialization as a conceptual framework, we identified four groups of visitors to a popular birding festival and show that the groups also differ in terms of level of behavioral involvement and setting preferences. Findings from this study will aid community leaders and event organizers in their efforts to target programs, amenities, and promotional materials to distinct segments of the birdwatching population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an overview of wildlife viewing in Colorado. Popularity of wildlife viewing; Knowledge gaps that could facilitate wildlife viewing management; Preferred types of places for viewing wildlife by Coloradans.

Presents ideas and outdoor activities that K-12 teachers can use to teach a critical sense of place to students in the U.S. Studies on children's connection with wild places; Developmental approach to sense of place and suggested activities; Procedure on launching an outdoor activity for children; Activities for pre-adolescent children.

Discusses the idea that the importance of systematics and natural history for conservation lies in defining the boundaries of organic diversity. Opinion that field biology has a public-image problem, and that conservation needs the expertise of systematists and natural historians; Idea that society must be carefully articulate the reasons for conserving nature, which places and species to protect, and how to accomplish these goals; The emergence of biochemical systematic techniques which has shown that genetically distinct units are not always recognizable on the basis of traditional external characteristics; Perception that many field biologists see little need to communicate formally with lay people about their research.

A reprint of the article "Outdoor Educator's Challenge: Don't "Play it Again, Sam"," by Emanuele Corso, published in 1972 in the book "Perspectives on Outdoor Education," edited by George W. Donaldson and Oswald Goering, is presented. Topics covered include the slow changes in U.S. educational systems, the need to connect people, especially children, to the intricate and delicate interactions of nature and the needs of children that educational reform should meet.

The article profiles Thomas Kaplan, a wealthy philanthropist who have invested in science conservation to preserve big cats in the U.S. Kaplan has always been fascinated with big cats and it has been his lifelong dream to help in their conservation and prevent extinction. The philanthropist is the financier of several graduate students working on cat conservation around the globe and is also contemplating on pursuing a doctoral degree in zoology. Kaplan was first introduced to modern conservation efforts through the book "Jaguar" written by Alan Rabinowitz, a wildlife biologist, whose aspiring to build the first jaguar preserve in Belize. The wealthy philanthropist has already finalized his plans with the Wildlife Conservation Society for Project Leonardo will study the lions of Africa.

The article offers information on the 1990 meeting of the American Society of Zoologists in the U.S. The meeting featured the divisional symposium and workshops, including neuroendocrine strategies in a tropical environment, mechanism of mate choice and the evolution of viviparity in vertebrates. It also featured the society sponsored symposium and refresher courses, special sessions and exhibits.