The Nature Connection Storytelling Project: Connecting all Australians to nature

The number one goal of Australia’s Strategy for Nature is to connect all Australians with nature. But we know little about Australian’s experience of nature connection. Broadly, nature connection refers to the multifaceted human affiliation for non-human nature. How do people living in Australia connect to nature – where do they go, what do they do? How do they feel about nature and their relationship with natural spaces? To achieve the goal, we need to explore these questions, and start to understand the meaning that nature connection bring to people’s lives in this country. We need to know what effects this has on the way we live, on our health, wellbeing and on the ways we treat nature.

Storytelling is the ideal method to deepen our understanding of Australian experiences of nature connection. This report tells the story of the launch of the nature connection storytelling project. It explains how storytelling can build our understanding and also boost connection for Australians. It focuses on three key project components: 

1) Developing a digital platform and repository of stories about nature connection.

2) Working with partners to gather stories in a range of forms (written, oral, visual) that collectively demonstrate a diverse variety of experiences, impacts and implications of engaging with nature.

3) Contributing new insights and knowledge about nature connection to multidisciplinary fields of research and scholarship.