The eel connection: Developing urban adolescents’ sense of place through outdoor interactions with a local organism

Abstract

In response to growing concern about the increased disconnect between youth and their outdoor environment, this study examines how nature-based citizen science experiences with a local animal (American eels) influence urban adolescents’ (high-school students) sense of place in a US city. The juvenile American eel is a unique animal due to its see-through body, small size, lengthy migratory pathway, high periodic population density, and conservation concern. Interview, written, and observational data were collected through a case study of ten high-school students during a citizen science project that lasted three months. Analyses of these data indicate that students developed greater ­ecological place meaning and place attachment. Students developed greater ecological place meaning by learning more about the ecology of the river and the eels, and developed greater place attachment by developing pride and empathy. Based on these findings, we argue that nature-based citizen science programs can help environmental educators in the US foster more equitable access to nature by providing urban youth with much-needed opportunities to deeply experience local places and develop a closer and more meaningful relationship with their local environment.

Keywords:

• urban youth and place
• nature-based citizen science
• sense of place
• charismatic animals

Acknowledgments

Thank you to the teachers at Valley High School who supported this work throughout, especially Mark Angevine, plus Sarah Mount and all the folks at the Eel Project, who continue to care for eels and welcome volunteers with open arms. Thank you to our scientist friends, including Shannon LaDeau, Colette Salyk, Rhea Esposito, Adele Touhey, Lauren Collet-Gildard, and Carol Rodgers, for making this project happen!