Abstract:
Qumalai County is located at the source of the Yangtze River Park and the core area of the Three-River-Source National Park, and is known as the first county at the river sources. Based on the action and research of nature education in rural schools from 2019 to 2021, this paper demonstrated how nature education in protected areas can promote environmental responsibility by applying the theory of “Knowledge, Attitude and Practices”. Over the course of three years, 414 teachers and students from four schools in Qumalai County were involved in nature education practices, follow-up investigations, and action research. It was found that nature education has effectively stimulated students and teachers to take actions towards sustainable use and protection of natural resources, such as the Caterpillar Fungus, reduced the consumption of junk food and adopted a healthier, low-carbon lifestyle, reduced the production of domestic garbage from the source. The positive influence on communities ultimately contributes to the conservation of the Three-River-Source National Park. This paper summarized the key elements of school natural education, including cultivating local educators, using traditional knowledge, adopting multiple channels, and highlighting planning and monitoring. It concluded with insights and proposals on taking school as crucial nature education bases, promoting collective environmental responsible behavior, and building a multi-stakeholder nature education system.