Children's perceptions of the natural environment: a South African perspective

This qualitative study explored the ways in which adolescents perceive the natural environment. Focus group interviews were conducted with 32 participants between the ages of 13 and 14 attending a school in a low-income area in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The findings revealed five key meanings which emerged from the themes the participants discussed, i.e. nature as a threatened place, ‘culture of inconsideration’ towards nature, nature as external to the self, nature as the dangerous other, and intrinsic care for nature. Nature as the dangerous other persisted as an overarching meaning which emerged from the participants' responses. Thus, the participants perceived the natural environment through the lens of safety as natural areas in their community are characterised by crime, violence, and pollution.