“For Aboriginal people, the connection with the land is difficult to put into words. Getting out onto country is a healing process both physically and mentally… Caring for country is more than natural resource management and participating in Landcare activities. It is a spiritual reconnection and revitalisation which is vital for our wellbeing,”
Wally Bell, Ngunawal Elder
Research shows that people who feel more connected to nature are far more likely to take action to protect it. In fact, a landmark study from the University of Tasmania found that individuals with high levels of nature connectedness are 82 times more likely to undertake pro-environmental behaviours. This makes nature connectedness one of the strongest predictors of environmental action, far more powerful than knowledge or awareness alone.
But this isn’t just about statistics, it’s about values. When we slow down and connect with nature – listening to birds, feeling the warmth of the sun, or noticing the shifting seasons – we awaken a sense of gratitude, compassion, and care. These intrinsic values naturally expand into a desire to give back, to nurture what nurtures us.
Importantly, this flow from connection to care benefits both people and planet. When individuals restore their own health and wellbeing through meaningful experiences in nature, they are more likely to act in ways that restore ecosystems and communities. Since personal and planetary health are interlinked and mutually dependent, we can’t take people out of the equation – much as humans may be the cause of significant environmental problems, they must also be part of the solution.
The pathway is clear:
Personal wellbeing grows from meaningful time in nature.
Resilience strengthens through connection and reflection
Climate action follows as care and responsibility translate into everyday choices, volunteering, and stewardship behaviours that protect people and planet.
In this regard, nature connection is not a luxury or nice to have approach, it is a foundation for both humans thriving and environmental stewardship – and it needs to be built into the design of any program and policy and not left by chance. Because when we invest in nature connection, we unlock one of the most powerful levers for climate action and community resilience possible.
“Nature Connection” is the psychological measure of the quality of our relationship and emotional attachment with nature.
Nature connection has been shown to:
• Improve mood
• Enhance cognitive function
• Restore attention
• Spark creativity
• Boost the immune system
• Reduce stress and tension
• Regulate the nervous system
• Help us recover from burnout
And much more…
When we connect with nature in a mindful, embodied way we feel the benefits; more than those experienced during physical activity or spending time in green spaces alone!
It’s possible to SAVOUR nature whilst we work together to SAVE (protect, conserve, restore, regenerate) our local environment.
Nature connection can look different for everyone, but it’s underpinned by some key ingredients:
• Slowing down
• Activating the senses (full body listening)
• Resisting the urge to classify or compartmentalise – embracing interconnectedness
• Suspending the need to know WHAT it is and instead being curious about HOW it is
• Noticing the little details
• Appreciating beauty, awe, and wonder
Nature Connection is also about embodied action. We’ve put together a list of tips, links and prompts to get you started.
The Wellbeing through Nature program was underpinned by a large and growing body of international research showing that actively and purposefully connecting with nature is good for mental health, wellbeing, and social connectedness. Active participation in nature-based activities is clearly associated with reduced prevalence of depression, anxiety and other health problems.
The program was also informed by the experiences of long-term Landcarers who report that caring for the environment is also good for their own health and sense of wellness. Landcare volunteers report experiencing a revitalising sense of community and purpose. Participating in landcare activities can improve individuals’ social connections, mental health, wellbeing and recovery.
Funding for the 2 year pilot project was provided by ACT Government through the 2021 Health Promotions Grants program.
The program had three key objectives:
• Improve the mental health of individuals living with complex mental health challenges
• Improve the social connectedness of individuals from priority populations; and
• Expand the reach of nature-based activities, to improve community mental health and social connectedness, beyond the life of the program.
Over the two years of the project Landcare ACT facilitated:
• 50 Guided Walks
• 38 Conservation Activities
• 8 Theraputic Horticulture Activities
• 5 Deepening Nature Connection Sessions
Over 1000 attendances over these key events can be attributed to over 600 unique attendees.
Researchers from the University of Canberra conducted an independent evaluation of the program. The results were overwhelmingly positive.
94% of respondents felt the program helped them to connect to the local environment
85% agreed that the program helped them to feel more connected to others
88% agreed the program improved their quality of life
91% felt the program was good for their mental health, and
94% thought the program was good for their overall wellbeing.
Supported by an ACT Environment Grant in 2024, this environment focussed roving community group empowered LGBTQIA+ folk to connect with and care for nature through active, hands-on conservation.
Program partners:
• Meridian ACT
• Diversity ACT
• Ginninderry Conservation Trust
• ACT NRM
• Greening Australia
Listen to the radio interview with ABC Canbera’s Adrienne Francis speaking with Sally Holliday of Landcare ACT and Lee Caldwell of Meridian about the roving Landcare group.
Supported by an ACTEWAGL Community Grant in 2024 the Women in Nature initiative was a collaboration between Landcare ACT and community support services.
Program activities included guided walks, nature-based art, and group gardening sessions designed to foster a deep connection with the natural environment whilst promoting well-being, personal growth, and healing.
By engaging in group activities and collaborating on landcare projects, participants developed a sense of belonging and connection within their community, mitigating feelings of isolation. Contributing to the preservation and enhancement of local natural environments, fostered a sense of environmental stewardship among participants.
An initiative by Landcare ACT through the 2024/25 ACT Environment Grants Program.
A community group for nature lovers aged 18-30 with an interest in connecting with and caring for nature.
Landcare ACT facilitated a weekend gathering at Outward Bound with a focus on:
• Possible career pathways in the Environment sector
• Volunteering opportunities
• Citizen science programs
• Nature Connection as a protective factor supporting health and wellbeing whilst preventing burnout (sadly prevalent in the environmental advocacy/caring space).
Landcare ACT collaborated with Psychology for a Safe Climate to facilitate a workshop around the impacts of climate change anxiety and eco grief. When faced with large-scale challenges like climate change and species loss, working alongside others toward a shared purpose is a powerful antidote to eco-grief, overwhelm and loneliness, shifting us out of paralysis and into collective action.
The group composed a powerful Collective Poem speaking to their shared experiences.
If you would like to be kept in the loop about future nature connection events and initiatives,
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