- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Some people change environmental education by creating programs. Others do it by inspiring future educators. Dr. Louise Chawla has done both, but perhaps her greatest contribution has been helping us understand why experiences in nature matter in the first place.
For decades, her research has shaped how educators, researchers, and communities think about the relationship between children and the natural world. This year, KAEE is proud to recognize Dr. Chawla with the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award for her remarkable contributions to the field of environmental education.
Throughout her career, Dr. Chawla has helped deepen our understanding of one simple but powerful idea: the experiences children have in nature matter. Her research shows that meaningful time outdoors, paired with supportive adults who encourage curiosity and exploration, can shape not only a child's well-being but also a lifelong commitment to caring for the environment.
Today, that idea feels almost intuitive. But decades ago, Dr. Chawla was among the researchers helping build the evidence that would change how people thought about environmental education.
Long before becoming Professor Emerita at the University of Colorado Boulder, Dr. Chawla spent more than 20 years at Kentucky State University. There she conducted much of the research that would earn international recognition while also leaving a lasting mark on environmental education here in Kentucky.
Her work explored how children's relationships with nature changed across generations, drawing on interviews with children, adults, and environmental leaders across the Commonwealth. Those conversations became the foundation for her landmark publication, Life Paths into Effective Environmental Action, which examined the formative experiences that inspire people to become lifelong environmental stewards.
Her research also helped shape Richard Louv's groundbreaking book, Last Child in the Woods. In the book's acknowledgments, Louv credits Dr. Chawla for sharing her findings and introducing him to the work of other researchers studying children's relationships with nature. Together, their work helped bring national attention to the importance of ensuring every child has opportunities to connect with the outdoors.
While at Kentucky State University, Dr. Chawla also played an important role in strengthening Kentucky's environmental education community through KAEE. She served on the Board of Directors from 1989 to 1994, including as Board President from 1991 to 1992, helping guide the organization during its early years.
Her influence extends far beyond research.
Dr. Chawla advocates for the idea that children should have a voice in shaping the communities where they live. Through leadership roles with UNESCO's Growing Up in Cities initiative and the Growing Up Boulder partnership, she demonstrated the value of inviting young people to help create healthier, more sustainable communities.
She has also authored and contributed to an extensive body of work on nature connection, place based education, environmental psychology, outdoor learning, and youth engagement. Her book, Placemaking with Children and Youth, received the Environmental Design Research Association's 2019 Achievement Award and continues to serve as an important resource for educators, planners,
and community leaders.
The following photos illustrate Growing Up in Cities, a UNESCO program that initially ran from 1970-1975, when it involved young adolescents in four countries in evaluating their local communities and envisioning how to make them better places in which to grow up.
Child-led community input. Boca Barracas, Buenos Aires – photo by Robin Moore
The impact of Dr. Chawla's work can be seen far beyond research publications. It lives on in classrooms, parks, schools, and communities where educators inspire young people to build meaningful connections with the natural world. It can also be seen in the countless environmental professionals whose own journeys began with the kinds of childhood experiences her research champions.
As KAEE celebrates its 50th anniversary, recognizing Dr. Louise Chawla with the Lifetime Achievement Award is also an opportunity to celebrate the ideas that have helped shape environmental education for generations. Her research has challenged us to think differently, her leadership has strengthened Kentucky's environmental education community, and her work continues to inspire educators around the world.
Congratulations, Dr. Louise Chawla, on this well deserved recognition. Thank you for your lifelong dedication to environmental education and for helping generations of children discover the lasting value of connecting with nature.
We are proud to celebrate Dr. Chawla's remarkable contributions to environmental education and can't wait to honor her at the 2026 KAEE Conference in Lexington, Kentucky. The 2026 Excellence in Environmental Education Awards will be presented during the awards dinner on Thursday, November 12, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Lexington/UK Coldstream.
Photos of Growing Up Boulder, a program established in 2009 and now part of Boulder city culture. It forms partnerships between city government agencies, local schools and after-school programs, the University of Colorado, and other community organizations to integrate young people into city planning and design.
A new nature play area synthesized ideas from preschool and elementary school students