Conceptual framework outlining how and why certain pro-nature attitudes and behaviours, health,
and well-being may change in response to biodiversity renewal.

By Benjamin B. Phillips, Joanne K. Garrett, Lewis R. Elliott, Rebecca Lovell, Fränze Kibowski,Ruth Lamont, and Kevin J. Gaston.

Read the full paper here.

In this paper we set out our plan for a longitudinal survey exploring nature interactions, attitudes towards nature, health and well-being of 18,000 people across England annually for three years.

In response to the biodiversity crisis, there are growing efforts in England to restore, expand, and connect natural areas, including in towns and cities. These initiatives are expected to bring significant changes to landscapes and benefit biodiversity. Understanding how they also influence people’s interactions with nature, positive attitudes and behaviours towards nature, health, and well-being is crucial for ensuring the success of future projects and planning initiatives that meet the needs of both people and nature.

Although there is considerable prior research linking people, nature and health and well-being, much of this has been cross-sectional, where individuals are asked questions only once. Research has also focused on exploring attitudes and behaviours relating to the environment more generally, rather than specifically about nature or biodiversity.

To tackle these research gaps, we have developed the Renewing Biodiversity Longitudinal Survey. It is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and Natural England as part of the RENEW project. As a longitudinal survey, it asks the same people the same questions at multiple points in time, allowing for a more robust understanding of relationships. Although it’s not perfect, because we can’t include every possible cause when we analyse the data, it will help to provide more confidence in our results.

The survey also includes questions on individual characteristics, such as age and gender, so we can include these in our analyses. We also ask for people to provide their postcode. This is optional, but where provided we will be able to link other data to their responses, such as information about the environment where they live.

By tracking these factors over time, our survey will provide valuable insights into the evolving relationship between people, nature, and well-being in the context of biodiversity renewal.