Paper short abstract:

People of colour spend less time in nature in the UK than white people. My paper presents ethnographic research exploring poc's relationships with nature; the role nature plays in their lives and the reasons why nature may or may not feature strongly in family cultures and daily experiences.

Paper long abstract:

In countries of heritage people of colour are often closely connected to

nature, but a disconnect occurs in the west. There is wide recognition

in environmental fields and culturally amongst black and Asian

communities, that we are less present in nature in the UK than white

people. As a consequence people of colour miss out on the pleasures,

health benefits and are less involved in conserving green spaces.

People of colour or more likely to live in urban areas with a

deficiency of access to nature and are disproportionately effected by environmental

conditions which harm health.

My paper presents ethnographic research exploring people of colour's

relationships with nature in the UK,drawing from my work as a Nature

Allied Psychotherapist and in leading a nature connection programme in

London; exploring the role nature plays in the lives of people of colour

and the reasons why it may or may not feature strongly in family cultures and

daily experiences.

I will present an ethnography of the overt and covert contestation of

access and belonging in natural spaces in the UK; and the experience of

racism, trauma and loss in being disenfranchised from habitats which are

nurturing and supportive. I will explore the dynamics with other humans

which have interfered in people of colour's relationships with nature and

highlight black led work being done with people of colour to rebuild

bridges into relationship with the natural world, offering healing and

establishing time in nature as integral to health and resilience for

city life.