Do we need naturalist intelligence to save the planet?

By Nicole Pokorney

In 1983, Howard Gardner introduced the theory of multiple intelligences in his book, Frames of Mind. Naturalistic Intelligence was the eighth and most recent intelligence added to the list in 1999. In her article, The Eighth Intelligence – Naturalistic Intelligence, Leslie Owen Wilson describes individuals with "Nature Smart" as having the following characteristics, plus more:

• Sensing patterns in nature
• Often like to collect, classify, or read about things from nature  
• Interest in animal species and behaviors
• Having a connection to the outdoors

At the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Devleopment’s Community of Practice for Outdoor Professionals, we were recently discussing the importance of identifying the social inequities and barriers that underrepresented youth face in having a connection to the outdoors. In his book, The Adventure Gap, James Edward Mills states:

There is a link between recreating in the outdoors and wanting to protect it. People who spend time outdoors have the opportunity to appreciate its beauty and importance. Individuals across the nation and around the world who recognize the benefits of having access to fresh air, clean water, and open green space for their health and well-being will devote time and money to preserve those qualities. Having created loyal and long-standing relationships with the places they love most, they will pass their affection down to their children, establishing a legacy of stewardship that spans generations. 

The more I dive into increasing access and equity to underrepresented youth in the outdoors, I also wonder about the level of connection to nature young people may or may not experience, no matter the quality of our outdoor programming. Is it also important that we guide youth in exploring their innate talents and abilities through such inventories as the multiple intelligences inventory, or this inventory from the American Institute for Learning and Human Development? Even if barriers are addressed, how do we ensure young people will connect to nature deeply enough to fulfill the preservation needs?

As an outdoor enthusiast, I took the inventory twice while writing this blog, with Naturalistic not rating as my highest intelligence, or even making the top three. Although there is no place that I have a deeper connection to than a trail in the woods, I wonder why I have this connection if I can’t name every bird I hear, or every plant I see. I can’t keep plants alive to save my life, and I surely would rather watch a mindless romantic comedy than a nature show on TV. What connects me in a natural setting comes from my highest intelligences: Visual-Spatial (awe and visual pleasure), Intrapersonal (reflective qualities of nature), and Bodily-Kinesthetic (hiking, canoeing). Do we need to be "Nature Smart" to save the planet? I still don’t have a clear answer, but incorporating multiple intelligences into programming, working with youth to explore another way to understand themselves, and understanding how intelligences can play a role in how we connect to the natural world is worth pursuing.

What are your thoughts? How do you incorporate inventories or other innovative ways for youth to explore their innate abilities into your programming?

-- Nicole Pokorney, Extension educator

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