PS 26-110 - Combatting plant blindness: Assessing the impact of demographics and culture on plant knowledge

Abstract: In the last few decades, plant blindness, or a person's failure to recognize plants or their importance, has gained awareness in environmental education. Plant blindness affects one's ability to identify plants and subsequently recognize their value. Being able to identify plants is important in a variety of ways including delineating wetlands, restoration or conservation, and protecting endangered species. Across the world, there have been a multitude of studies conducted on plant knowledge; however, none of these studies have surveyed and compared results across several demographics. The objective of this study was to determine how demographics (race, gender, rurality, and tribal vs. non-tribal college) of students in a general biology course at colleges across North Dakota influence their self-perceived plant knowledge and where that knowledge is learned. This is based on insights of previous published work from co-authors Hargiss, Comeau, Blue, and Norland, as well as other scientists like Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer and their work on plant knowledge and plant blindness in Native American populations. The study population for this research was general biology students at three public colleges and three tribal colleges in North Dakota. Students in the course at all colleges and universities were invited to complete a survey that included demographic questions about age, race, gender, and information about where they grew up, as well as plant knowledge. Plant knowledge questions varied from what plants interest them, to what plants they know the most about, how many plants they can identify, and who taught them about plants. In total, 702 students completed the survey. There was little difference in plant knowledge of students based on race and type of college; however, rurality and gender were significantly different (p<0.05). Rurality and gender were also significant in who students are learning their plant knowledge from, with males learning more about plants from males and females learning more from females; while urban residents learned more from females, and rural residents more from males. The only significant finding regarding plant identification between tribal vs. non-tribal college students was that tribal students were able to identify grassland plants significantly more often than non-tribal students. This study suggests demographic factors can influence a person's connection to plants and the way they learn about plants, and that knowledge can aid educators, resource managers, and scientists in improving education, curriculum, and our ability to teach students about plants.