Current patterns of exclusion and marginalisation risk leaving many young people feeling disconnected from the natural world. Funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), part of UK Research and Innovation, we’re designing and delivering a project as part of a wider initiative to connect people with nature. The project, which focuses on young people (10-25 year olds), aims to bridge the gap between environmental science and their daily lives, helping them to understand nature’s importance.

Nature connection: the first step

The UK has one of the weakest connections with nature, ranking 16th out of 18 for Western countries. Young people will be the ones who must live with the realities of the decisions that are made today, yet many feel overwhelmed by – or are disengaged from – environmental issues. By helping to shift how they think and feel about nature, we can empower young people to take meaningful action to address environmental challenges and change their everyday lives. 

Research shows that the closer we are to nature the more worthwhile life seems, and that by experiencing nature first-hand we begin to develop the desire to care for it. In this way, nature connection is the first step to mobilising young people to take climate action and to participate in, shape, and benefit from the transition to net zero.

Closing the nature gap

Nature should be for everyone, yet young people living in deprived urban areas have much fewer opportunities to access green spaces compared to their more affluent peers. This disparity in access to the natural environment is called the ‘nature gap’. Ensuring young people from all backgrounds can have meaningful connections with the natural world is a key part of tackling youth inequality, improving youth wellbeing and widening participation in the green transition.

We’re seeking to close the nature gap though our work with young people living in areas of Bristol that have high levels of deprivation, yet have some of the most beautiful green spaces within their wards. We’re creating opportunities for these young people to experience personal connections with nature and build knowledge of local environmental challenges through exploring what’s available on their doorsteps.

Building pathways to connecting with nature

In partnership with Avon Youth Club and Hartcliffe Club for Young People, we’re delivering a series of sessions that bring nature into young people’s lives and invite them to explore their personal connection with their local environment. We’re also running two nature immersion days with Avon Wildlife Trust at their Grow Wilder site in Bristol.

Together, we’ve mapped out the accessible green spaces from their homes and walked their local nature reserve at night to experience the sights and sounds. Through nest-building, we’ve learnt about how small actions can feed into larger conservation projects like the RSPB Garden Birdwatch event.

The activities explore how we can experience nature through all our senses. Whether through feeling the warmth of a fire, gazing at the stars, or stopping to listen to birdsong, we’re helping young people to develop a love of the natural world and inspiring them to take action to protect it.