Homegrown Local Ecological Knowledge: A Constructivist Rationale for the Inverse Relationship Between Environmental Knowledge and Formal Education Levels

The methods of environmental learning and adaptation have evolved, adapted and varied across time and space. Formal educational levels and environmental knowledge do not necessarily go hand-in-hand, and people can have great knowledge with little formal education, even in western societies. This paper investigates the correlation between educational level and environmental knowledge among community members in Northeast Florida identified as either Cracker or non-Crackers. Florida Crackers have a lengthy history in rural Florida with historic ties to the land and a cultural connection with the environment. The results of this study demonstrate an inverse relationship between local environmental knowledge and formal educational level. The differences in environmental knowledge is likely based on the constructivist manner in which Cracker families teach their children about the importance of the local environment, through active cognitive engagement, which forms a strong sense of identity that continues throughout adulthood. Thus despite a lack of formal education, Florida Crackers, and similarly situated people, can provide valuable knowledge to inform policymakers, conservationists and educators, who should respectfully listen to these voices who do not have a formal curriculum vitae.