Abstract
In this article we present the results from an exploratory study conducted in the Wet Tropics in Australia. The study was initiated as part of a larger research program to support the development of a water quality improvement plan. Seven schools were invited to participate in this study. Students were asked to develop visions for the future of their local area. Results suggest that integrating a futures perspective into formal educational programs provides a mechanism to connect students with their local community and their local environment, and at the same time, encourages critical thinking and environmental citizenship beyond the classroom.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors acknowledge the contribution of staff and students of the primary schools in the Tully-Murray basin and the field-work assistance of Keith Noble and Karl Haug. Comments by Bob Stevenson, Tom Measham, and Louisa Tomas improved the article. CSIRO’s Water for a Healthy Country Flagship funded the research on which this article is based.