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www.iucn.org/parks www.iucn.org/parks www.iucn.org/parks INTRODUCTIONHumans have an affinity for nature. This love of nature termed 'biophilia' was defined by E. O. Wilson (1984, p. 58) as: "the urge to affiliate with other forms of life". We have evolved within and with nature. At the most basic of levels, we learned that plants and animals provided food, fibre and skins and so we tended them and cared for them. Our affiliation, however, goes deeper than addressing the biological necessities of life. Nature has provided spiritual, aesthetic, and philosophical pillars for the growth and expression of human culture (Haenn & Wilk, 2006). Wilson (1984;1993) has bemoaned that this historic and evolutionary tie of humans to nature is being eroded. In further work, Wilson (1993) highlighted that the loss of a connection to nature contributes to psychic deprivation and degradation of the human mind. Medical research has clearly identified the restorative values of nature in patient recovery rates. A 2005 survey of eight European cities showed that residents having access to green areas are three times more apt to be active and 40 per cent less likely to be obese (Basaraba, 2012). Koss and Kingsley (2010) found that volunteers engaged in citizen science programmes in marine protected areas in Victoria, Australia not only connected with nature but also reported feelings of mental and physical wellbeing. Further, volunteers felt their monitoring efforts generated personal satisfaction through their contributions and increased feelings of enjoyment by connecting to nature and socialising with others. Further evidence supporting the assertion that contact with nature promotes health was summarised by Maller (2006), andBerman (2012) suggests that the brain relaxes in nature. A simple walk in nature could improve memory and mood in depressed people. In a natural setting the brain enters into a state of contemplative attention that is restorative or refreshing while in an www.iucn.org/parks www.iucn.org/parks ABSTRACT Humankind's affinity to nature is threatened. Youth, in particular, are missing out. Without the connection, a love of nature cannot develop. Alienation leads to a loss of support for conservation of nature. Conservation has yielded an extensive network of parks and protected areas that in turn provide the opportunity to connect directly with nature. The opportunity presents itself for parks and protected areas to play an increasing and significant role in connecting people with nature. A next generation leadership, youth for youth, is needed to take up this challenge. Through understanding the needs and values of youth, parks and protected area leaders must offer programmes that connect young people to nature and empower young people to be agents of change. The 2014 IUCN World Parks Congress provides a launch pad for such collaborative efforts. Stream 8: Inspiring a New Generation, is focused on a legacy whereby future generations will develop and nurture life-long relationships with nature and the support for...

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Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) practitioners could benefi t from recent innovations in the fi eld of organizational development, particularly those of Peter Senge, that outline how institutions can become "learning organizations," which are responsive to change to meet the needs of their members. These techniques could be used to help schools, universities, and nongonvernmental organizations develop a capacity to promote ESD. E ducation for Sustainable Development (ESD) focuses on how people live, work and make decisions. It engages people in advancing positive change. A sustainable future requires change at all levels-from individuals to organisations to societies, from local to national to global. Yet how are we learning about change? What methods actually lead to change? Are we managing our knowledge and learning so that we can manage change processes more effectively? If we limit ourselves to traditional methods of education, we will fall short of our goals for change.We must fi nd new ways of managing learning across cultures and disciplines, and of collectively creating and managing new knowledge for sustainable solutions. In this paper, I describe change, knowledge, and learning management principles and

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