Nature Connectedness Research Cluster
'Finding nature for well-being and sustainability.'
Active Members
- Coordinator: Dr Miles Richardson
- Stephanie Archer
- Dr Simon Bignell
- Dr Chris Bussell
- Dr Mark Bulling
- Anne Downes
- Dr Maggie Gale
- Dr Claire Hampson
- Dr Caroline Harvey
- Dr Fiona Holland
- Joan Howarth
- Karen Newberry
- Dr Thomas Hunt
- Archpriest Daniel Joseph
- Ryan Lumber
- Prof Paul Lynch
- Chris O'Reilly
- Lynn Richards
- Ben Roberts
- Andrew Sanders
- Nicola Scarrott
- Malcolm Schofield
- Prof. David Sheffield
- Dr Ed Stupple
- Dr Glynis Van Der Hoek
- Heather Venables
- Peter Walker
Our Nature Connectedness Research Cluster aims to understand people's connection to the natural environment and design and evaluate local interventions in order to improve connectedness; bringing about the associated benefits in well-being, creativity, sustainability and conservation attitudes.
We believe that further progress in this area requires expertise in nature to be combined with expertise in human behaviour. Therefore, it is a multidisciplinary research cluster that brings together expertise and enthusiasm from across the university; from psychology, childhood studies, education, occupational therapy, biological, social and environmental sciences. We are also keen to have external associate members who can inform our direction and benefit from our skills.
We have research interests in a wide variety of activities that can be involved in developing a connection to the natural world, these include: walking, biodiversity projects, care farms, therapeutic value of conservation work, allotment use, fishing, technology enhanced learning, horse riding, use of green spaces and wild volunteering.
Current Activity
3 Good Things in Nature Research Project
This aims to evaluate the impact on well-being of noting three good things in nature each day for 5 days. There is a great deal of research to show the benefits to health and well-being of connecting with nature and this formal research evaluation of a novel intervention is currently on-going.
Finding Nature App
A spin-off from the 3 Good Things in Nature project, the Finding Nature mobile app is designed to help people connect with the natural world. The app encourages people to use their ever present phone to notice ever present nature as a sustainable everyday connection to nature starts in the local landscape. The app uses a simple yet proven test to measure how connected the user feels to the natural world and then prompts people to note three good things in nature each day, as simple sentences or a photo; be it the song of a robin or the first buds of spring. After five days the app measures the user's progress to see what improvement has been made.
Connecting to Nature
Three year investigation into the factors involved in becoming connected to nature and how they can be incorporated into interventions to increase people's connection to nature using the local natural environment.
WildScience
The WildScience project has seen students provide support to teachers through a range of core curriculum-based activities including school Bioblitz competition and awards events, pond dipping, mini beast hunts and natures recycling.
Previous Activity:
OPAL (Open Air Laboratories Network) Conference
In February 2013 the University of Derby hosted the OPAL Conference showing how to get school children out of the classroom and learning in the wild.
Exploring the Psychological Rewards of the Local Landscape
A research paper that explores the rewards that can be found by connecting to local nature through a mindful approach. The case-study informs current quantitative research that will explore practical ways of connecting to nature in the local landscape, which is sustainable and fits better with the everyday lives of many. As an emotional connection to nature predicts pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour, the work presents a simple first step towards more sustainable human behaviour through a connectedness to the local landscape; so that, for once, our own well-being might lead to nature's well-being.
