Abstract: China's ecological civilization education has been experiencing “an alienation of nature”, critical to some extend. In view of this, the “place-based” nature should return, i.e. natural experience should be practiced, a mode of ecological civilization education through systematic experiential activities in the natural environment which puts emphasis on the cultivation of students’ ecological thinking, and gives more care to ability and responsibility. While the practice forms are various, we need to, for an satisfied practice, build a multi-support system involved government, school and society, develop school-based courses featuring natural experience, and strengthen teachers’ training.

Key words: natural experience, ecological civilization education, experience on the ground, school-based curriculum