Wild about inclusion - nature is for everyone

Chris Corrigan

CEO

One of the shocking statistics I discovered recently is that people’s connection to nature has declined by 60% since 1800, which really hit home. I haven’t delved into the science but the numbers certainly resonate with my own experience. I think back to my childhood when I spent all day outside playing football or cricket, playing in the street, building dens, searching for the creatures that lived in a nearby stream and in my early teens discovering birdwatching! This was a different world from the experiences of my children and their friends and, tragically, much of this disconnection from nature has probably happened within the space of two or three generations.

This is why connecting more people with nature is such a central goal of Our Wild Sussex, which sets out our ambition and plans for restoring thriving wildlife across Sussex. If people know about and appreciate nature, they are far more likely to take action to protect it.

In my view, we will only achieve our ambitions to protect and restore nature if everyone in Sussex gets involved, or at least an order of magnitude more than is the case at present. Nature has to be for everyone, not just for people like me.

We are making progress. We have recruited two young Trustees to bring a more diverse perspective to decision making. We also have a well-established trainee programme and a youth-led nature reserve at The Deneway in Brighton, which has recently received a major National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to work with the local community and make the site more accessible.

This is just the start – we know there are still whole communities we are not reaching – and this has to change. We cannot save nature in Sussex if only some people are involved. We need to break down barriers and ensure that people from all communities, backgrounds, and lived experiences feel welcome, valued, and empowered to take part.

This means we will need to change the way we work and do different things, alongside the fabulous work the team of staff and volunteers already do to make a difference.

This is why I want us to focus on inspiring, empowering, and engaging people from all backgrounds, cultures, identities, and abilities to play their part in nature recovery and climate action. Sadly, in this polarised age, efforts to build bridges across society can attract criticism. I want us to rise above any voices of opposition because in my 40-year career in conservation, biodiversity has declined and we have not mobilised enough support to turn things round. If we keep doing things the same way, we will keep getting the same results. We need to be bold, brave, and willing to evolve.

We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse organisation that reflects all our local communities. We appreciate the immense value that a range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives bring. We are learning all the time about how to bring these different qualities into how we work, and how we talk about what we do.

Strength lies in unity and, together with our staff, volunteers, members, supporters and allies, we want our organisation to reflect the diversity of the county we aim to protect, and leave a lasting legacy for both people and wildlife.

I believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience the joy of wildlife in their daily lives. Nature is for everyone – and now, more than ever, nature needs everyone to be involved in its recovery.