Influence of experience, interest, knowledge and learning source on children’s attitudes towards extensive grassland conservation

Decisions made by grassland owners are crucial for the conservation of extensive grasslands (EGs); however, the predispositions determining how adults decide to act in certain situations are developed during childhood. Children are future decision-makers and potential grassland owners; therefore, the factors that form and affect their attitudes towards EG conservation need to be examined. Positive attitudes could be developed during environmental education, and this study aimed to understand the influence of elementary school children’s interest in and knowledge of grasslands, sources of learning about grasslands and experience working with grasslands on their attitudes towards preserving EGs. Principal component analysis and structural equation modelling results showed that interest in grasslands directly influenced attitudes towards preserving EGs, while experience and learning also indirectly influenced these attitudes. Children’s interest should be stimulated through gathering experience with grasslands and education in order to resolve any potential misconceptions about EG management.