Plain Language Summary: Finding Kinship with Nature: Lessons from a World in Lockdown.

By Olivia Visnic, Megan Maurer, Liv Yoon, and Elizabeth M. Cook.

Read the full paper here.

In the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown, an opportunity arose to consider our relationship with nature: had the enforced isolation led to a greater appreciation of the natural world around us? Might these new connections and appreciations change how we see the world through less human-centered views? Exploring these questions could influence how we think about relationships with nature post-pandemic, affecting everything from urban planning to personal well-being.

We surveyed and interviewed college students across the United States and gathered personal narratives about how their experiences during the lockdown impacted their connection to nature.

Many students reported feeling a stronger bond with the environment around them as they sought comfort during the lockdown. These feelings differed along a spectrum that ranged from simply noticing the natural world more, to actively seeking out and valuing its presence in their lives (e.g., counting bunny sightings on a run). This ability to connect with nature was not universal. It was influenced by personal factors, as well as historic and current injustices that lead to unequal access to green spaces, for example. We termed these various, complex patterns of challenges and changes as “mosaics of disruption” that can influence connections to nature.

While some students indicated that this experience could potentially shape their future actions and lifestyle choices, some saw this change as temporary. What became clear is that to ensure the longevity and equity of these connections, simply noticing nature is not enough; instead, a long-term commitment to understanding relationships with—and within—nature is necessary. Moreover, we must challenge the binary framing of humans and nature as categorically different.

Our findings suggest that any transformation in our relationship with more-than-human nature, spurred by the pandemic, is only a starting point. There is a need for a deeper, sustained effort to understand and value our relationships with the more-than-human world, acknowledging that true change requires overcoming entrenched inequities. As we confront the climate crisis, we must move beyond immediate circumstances and commit to a long-term, inclusive, and justice-oriented relationship with the natural world.