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- Date
- Dec 06 - Dec 11, 2026
- Session no.
- S958-01
- Program
- Nature-Based Education
- Location
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Salzburg, Austria
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Education
Nature-Based Education: Inspiring, Wiring and Connecting
In September 2025, Salzburg Global in partnership with TUI Care Foundation and IUCN CEC, the Canadian Wildlife Federation, and WWF, convened a group of educators, environmentalists, policymakers, and system leaders to explore the potential of Nature-Based Education (NBE) as a transformative approach to learning and environmental stewardship. Participants highlighted the growing evidence that learning in, through, with, and as nature can improve student wellbeing, deepen environmental understanding, and strengthen community connections. The program made a significant contribution to a number of new and existing initiatives, including the IUCN’s mycelial network, the Nature-based Education Learning Portal, and a range of new partnerships and collaborations around advocacy, assessment, and resource development.
At the same time, the convening revealed three major challenges limiting the wider adoption of nature-based education:
- Inspiration and visibility – Many educators and leaders remain unaware of compelling models and success stories demonstrating the power of NBE. NBE is also seen as ‘another framework’ competing for policymakers' and educators’ time and attention.
- Measurement and impact – Schools and systems lack clear frameworks and metrics to demonstrate the educational, environmental, and wellbeing benefits of nature-based learning.
- Networks and implementation – Practitioners often work in isolation, without the support structures or peer learning networks needed to scale and sustain their efforts.
The 2026 program is designed to help address these challenges in a variety of ways.
Date
Dec 06 - Dec 11, 2026
Session no.
S958-01
Location
Salzburg, Austria
Share
Program Overview
The initiative will pursue three interconnected objectives
Inspiring
To identify, develop, and showcase powerful examples of and for nature-based education from around the world through and how educators can use and contribute to the new online Atlas of Nature-Based Education.
Wiring
To develop adaptable impact frameworks that teachers, schools and education systems can use to show the value and impact of this work, alongside advocacy resources and, where necessary, new materials and approaches.
Connecting
To strengthen connections between educators, environmental organizations, and policymakers to build a more coordinated global community working to advance nature-based education.
Key themes will include:
- Sources of Inspiration
Showcasing innovative models of and for nature-based learning across schools, communities, and informal education settings. - Measuring What Matters
Exploring frameworks for evaluating the impact of nature-based education, including metrics related to wellbeing, ecological literacy, and community engagement. - Scaling Through Collaboration
Identifying opportunities to strengthen partnerships between schools, environmental organizations, and education systems.
Beginning in early 2027 and in tandem with the in-person program, we would like to establish a Nature-Based Education Policymaker Peer Learning Network
This network will bring together education policymakers and senior system leaders interested in integrating nature-based approaches into education policy and curriculum.
Key features will include:
- Regular virtual peer exchanges among policymakers
- Sharing of policy frameworks and implementation strategies
- Case studies from different national and regional contexts
- Opportunities for collaboration across ministries and jurisdictions
- Annual in-person meetings for policymakers in 2027 and 2028
- The network will create a structured space for policymakers to learn from each other’s experiences, explore policy innovations, and address barriers to integrating nature-based learning within education systems.
Expected Outcomes across the two strands of work
The initiative aims to generate several tangible outcomes:
- Demonstrable shifts in policymaker support for Nature-Based Education and changes in policy.
- A sustained peer learning network for policymakers
- A stronger global community of nature-based education practitioners and advocates
- Development of shared frameworks and indicators for measuring the impact of nature-based education
- Increased visibility of successful models and practices
- Greater integration of nature-based learning within education policy and systems
The program will prioritize interactive formats, including case study exchanges, working groups, and collaborative design sessions. Participants will work together to identify practical strategies and shared priorities for advancing NBE globally.
The second in-person program in Salzburg (following September 2025) will convene a diverse group of educators, environmental practitioners, researchers, and system leaders for collaborative dialogue and practical exchange.
Partners
