The roles of botanical garden in educating communities toward environmental conservation

Abstract

This dissertation discusses the roles of Kepong Botanical Garden in educating communities towards conserving the environment. Modern lifestyle has created a community that is disconnected from the natural environment wherein more time is spent indoors. The disconnection has an adverse impact towards the community since people have become unaware of the intrinsic value of nature. As a result, people are less connected to the nature and become less responsible in protecting the environment. Thus, this research aims to investigate the potential of public open space to develop communities` attitudes, behaviours and skills necessary for environmental conservation with the research setting in Kepong Botanical Garden. A total of 110 questionnaire forms were distributed to the visitors of Kepong Botanical Garden (KBG) to identify the practice of KBG in developing environmental awareness. The findings demonstrate that most visitors have better environmental awareness and interest after visiting KBG. According to the data findings, visits to KBG have affected visitors’ understanding of the environment, especially the diversity of plant kingdom. More than 50% of the respondents had positive responses on conservation practices that they are willing to contribute towards the care of the environment. However, information about environmental issues in local and global contexts is lacking. This shows when some of the respondents did not express better attitudes and behaviours towards the environment. The findings also demonstrate that KBG is ineffective in conveying information on environmental conservation to the visitors of KBG. It is recommended that a few improvements can be made in KBG to increase its value in educating the community, such as improving weekly or monthly programmes like teachers training programme, kids’ play programme or nature cares as target group programmes. These programmes will help the KBG to increase its connection with the local community and the community with the environment which directly will help solve the research problems and issues mentioned in Chapter One. In conclusion, the environmental education in KBG can be improved by means of identification of conservation message as well as environmental issues to be delivered to the visitors using reachable educational approaches. It is hoped that this study contributes to the knowledge and value in sustainable built environment and liveable communities’ planning and design.