No-one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced. – Sir David Attenborough
You have probably read this quote a thousand times, but Sir David does have a point. We know that a strong connection with nature benefits our health and influences our behaviour, so it is very troubling that the average child in the UK spends less time outside than a maximum security prisoner. With wildlife in freefall and mental illnesses like depression at an all-time high, we must find a way to strengthen our relationship to the natural world.
Recent research by Ryan Lumber suggests that there are five key pathways which can be used to build strong connections with nature, and we will be using these to enhance our education and engagement work. By combining new and exciting science with the experience of our dedicated staff, we hope that our work with young people will be one of the catalysts that tips the balance in favour of nature’s recovery.
