Understanding Nature in Early Adolescence: Conceptions among Urban Middle School Students

This qualitative study investigates how Austrian sixth-grade students attending urban academic secondary schools understand the concept of nature. Within the context of Education for Sustainable Development, the study focuses on students’ human–nature relationships, because conceptions of nature may shape emotional engagement, environmental attitudes, and later pro-environmental behaviour. Data were collected through an anonymous questionnaire administered to 324 students from 14 classes in four schools located in urban areas. The analysis focused on the open-ended question “What is nature to you?” Valid responses (n = 306) were analysed using qualitative content analysis. An inductively developed coding scheme identified eleven main categories describing students’ conceptions of nature. The most frequent categories were ecosystems (44.4%), living nature (41.2%), and leisure and recreation (34.0%). Students most often referred to forests, plants, animals, green spaces, and opportunities for relaxation, physical activity, and spending free time outdoors. Abiotic elements, aesthetic descriptions, and emotional associations such as joy, freedom, calmness, and affection were also present, but less frequent. By contrast, environmental protection, untouched nature, and rural references were rarely mentioned. The findings suggest that students mainly understand nature as a familiar, living, aesthetically pleasing, and emotionally meaningful space, rather than primarily as a system requiring protection or as a sphere independent of human influence. These results highlight the need for biology and sustainability education to build on students’ everyday experiences while strengthening conceptual links between nature, ecological interdependence, human impact, and environmental responsibility in urban learning contexts for future sustainable action and reflection.