The natural world around me; a qualitative exploration of young people's relationship to nature and how it relates to their wellbeing and feelings of pro-environmental behaviour

There is a deficit of qualitative research which aims to understand young people's experiences of and relationship to nature. Drawing on youth work methodology, this interdisciplinary study employed an exploratory qualitative approach to understand how young people's relationship with nature influences their wellbeing attitudes towards pro-environmental behaviour. Three focus groups were conducted with 21 young people, aged 12–26, from diverse cultural backgrounds. Thematic analysis of the focus group data resulted in four dominant themes: 1) the foundations of our relationship to nature; 2) pathways to wellbeing; 3) barriers to nature connection and 4) nature connection in the face of climate and ecological crisis. This study spotlights the significance of nature connectedness in supporting youth mental health and laying the foundation for environmental stewardship. Findings extend previous theoretical perspectives, suggesting a unique relationship between young people and nature with distinctive ecocentric roots. Understanding this relationship has the potential to unite activity from health services to environmental policy and beyond, ultimately benefiting both human and ecological wellbeing. Implications for research policy and practice are discussed.