The integration of environmental education within school curricula has evolved to incorporate participatory, experience-based learning models aimed at fostering pro-environmental behaviour, as demonstrated in the case study of a Spanish primary school presented by Barraza, Duque-Aristizábal, and Rebolledo (2003); this project, implemented in Andalusia, Spain, aligns with broader objectives of education for sustainable development, prioritizing student-led inquiry, collaborative problem-solving, and direct engagement with ecological issues; over two years, the program involved students in local environmental projects, including waste reduction initiatives and biodiversity conservation, supported by teachers and community stakeholders; findings revealed that hands-on activities and place-based education significantly enhanced students’ environmental knowledge, promoted emotional attachment to nature, and cultivated a sense of collective responsibility; the study underscores the importance of framing environmental education not merely as a transfer of knowledge, but as a transformative experience that empowers learners to become active agents of change in their communities; moreover, the authors argue that such pedagogical approaches are especially effective when they respect cultural contexts, integrate values clarification, and encourage critical reflection—elements often lacking in traditional didactic instruction; this case exemplifies how educational environments can become incubators for sustainable behaviour, particularly when curriculum design reflects ecopsychological principles, such as the emotional, symbolic, and relational dimensions of place, thus reinforcing the ecological self and laying the foundation for lifelong environmental stewardship.
