Getting outside and connecting with nature has been proven to be excellent for your mental health and wellbeing, but what are we to do when there are increasing numbers of people who have very little opportunity to get outside? One of the barriers to getting out into nature is that there are fewer green spaces around, and many are barren of nature; perhaps just some short-mown grass and the odd squirrel or pigeon.
Whilst my kids still get excited by the few species of wildlife they do see, I can only imagine how fascinated they would be if immersed in local green spaces as rich in biodiversity as a rainforest, where they could feel life vibrating all around them, the air filled with noises, smells, sights, and textures. Whilst we can’t recreate a rainforest here in south-east England, there are habitats which are just as full of biodiversity, albeit on a smaller scale! Our chalk streams, rivers, wetlands, woodlands, and ponds can be brimming with life if we let nature in. Wildflower meadows positively vibrate with buzzing pollinators if we can bear the mess of the taller floppy plants in summer, and the stark architectural beauty of the dried stems in winter. Scrub and hedgerows provide secret highways for birds, butterflies, and tiny mice. So, whilst we may need to adjust our focus, we can still immerse ourselves in these richly intense micro-worlds.
We want everyone to experience the wonder, joy and peace which our natural environment provides, and step out of our front doors into a buzzing, fragrant, heady space full of the noises, colours, textures and fragrances of the wild. But we know there is unequal access to nature across Oxfordshire, so we are proactively working with some communities in areas of greenspace and socio-economic deprivation to help address this inequity. Wild Oxfordshire are delighted to co-chair the Local Nature Partnership People & Nature SubGroup and provide support to the wonderful community leaders and professionals from a range of sectors who are so skilled and experienced at including and welcoming a diverse range of people to connect with nature.
By strengthening these networks and partnerships and championing nature-rich spaces (no matter how small) where we all live, work, learn and play, we can help ensure that every community in Oxfordshire has the chance to feel that connection.
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