Green Gown Awards 2021: Research with Impact – Institution - University of Derby - Winner

A new relationship with nature - for human and nature’s wellbeing

The Nature Connectedness Research Group at the University of Derby have transformed the way people interact with nature to improve wellbeing and promote pro-nature behaviour. Their ‘Pathways to Nature Connectedness’, a behaviour change framework for improving the human-nature relationship, has been adopted by The National Trust, Wildlife Trust, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, New Zealand Government Department of Conservation and many others. The pathways inform the Connecting People with Nature stream of the Government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund and the Green Influencers scheme.

The group has developed a new population measure of nature connection for the Government’s People & Nature Survey, enabling the impact of nature connection on wellbeing to be identified. The group has developed the first interventions to improve nature connectedness, pro-nature behaviours and mental wellbeing with the approach featuring as the theme for the 2021 Mental Health Awareness Week.

Top 3 learnings:

1. We found that nature connectedness can be improved for human and nature’s wellbeing.
2. We found that a close relationship with nature is key for a sustainable lifestyle.
3. We established that noticing nature is key to a new relationship with nature.

Videos

• Video #1 (click to hide)