The terms of outdoor education, environmental education, and environmental interpretation are sometimesused as synonymous. This is likely because unique concepts of each field are not well understood and are notclearly distinguished. Consequently, this could lead confusion (misunderstanding) which would adversely affecteffective program planning and operation. Outdoor education is a tool to achieve separately set educationalobjects through experiencing and utilizing the existing objects in outdoor setting (“learning by doing”).Environmental education is a formal education that aims to develop environmentally responsible citizens fortotal human environment with global point of view in mind. Environmental interpretation is an informaleducation and a catalyst for individuals so that each individual will voluntarily contribute to improve localnatural environment. As a part of the process, both environmental education and environmental interpretationapply an essential philosophy of outdoor education, “Learning by doing” and programs of these fields aremainly held out-of-doors. Therefore, there are cooperative relationships among these fields. However, outdooreducation itself does not have its educational objects while environmental education and environmentalinterpretation do. Thus, it is crucial to appreciate uniqueness of each field for effective application of concept to various occasions.
