For the first
time ever, a study to determine how connected UK children are to nature has been
carried out.
A three-year research project, undertaken by the RSPB, found
that only 21% of children in the UK have a level of connection to nature that
can be considered ‘realistic and achievable’ for all children [see editors’
notes 1]. The report’s findings will be released
at an event at the Houses of Parliament tonight [16 October].
The
report comes as a result of growing concerns over generations of children with
little or no contact with the natural world and wildlife, which the RSPB
believes is one of the biggest threats to UK nature.
The new study shows
there are statistically significant differences between children’s connection to
nature at a national level across the UK, as well as between boys and girls, and
British urban and rural homes [see editors’ notes
1].
In May,
25 wildlife
organisations, including the RSPB, released the groundbreaking State
of Nature report [see editors’ notes 2], which revealed 60 per cent
of the wildlife species studied have declined over recent decades. The charity
believes that ensuring young people are connected to nature will mean they develop deeply-held feelings and attitudes towards wildlife
and the world we all live in, and as a result will care enough to help save it
in the future.
Dr
Mike Clarke, RSPB Chief Executive, will address MPs at a reception tonight,
where he will reveal the report’s findings and urge governments and local
authorities to adopt this new approach. He will say: “This report is
ground-breaking stuff. Millions of people are increasingly worried that today's
children have less contact with nature than ever before, but until now there has
been no robust scientific attempt to measure and track connection to nature
among children in the UK, which means the problem hasn’t been given the
attention it deserves.
“Nature is in trouble, and children’s connection
to nature is closely linked to this. The recent State of Nature report
shows that nature in the UK is being lost at a dramatic rate. We can all take
action to put nature back into childhood, to ensure young people have better
lives and a better future.
“For the first
time, we have created a baseline that we and others can use to measure just how
connected to nature the UK’s children really are. By adopting this new
approach, we can all monitor children’s connection and we are recommending that
governments and local authorities take action to increase it through policy and
practice decisions.”
Over the last decade, a
large amount of research has been carried out into the diverse benefits for
children of contact with nature and outdoor experiences. These benefits include
positive impacts on education, physical health emotional wellbeing and personal
and social skills.
Evidence about the impact of an inactive and
indoors childhood has grown over the summer with the Chief Executive of the
British Heart Foundation calling for a return to the ‘traditional outdoors
childhood’ [see editors’ notes 3].
The RSPB believes everyone, from governments
to organisations and individuals, has a role to play in connecting children to
nature, which is why it has signed up to The Wild Network. The Wild Network is a
unique and pioneering collaboration between organisations with an aim to let
kids get back their ‘wild time’ and reverse the trend of children losing touch
with the natural world and playing outdoors [see editors’
notes].
The kind support of the Calouste
Gulbenkian Foundation and the University of Essex made this research
possible.
Andrew Barnett, Director of
the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in the UK, says: ‘We are delighted to have
supported this groundbreaking study. Robust evidence of children’s connection
with nature will be a powerful lever for change.’
