Nearly Wild Imaginarium, April 2023

A few quotes from our discussions

  • “Do we need to wait for proof before we act? We know enough to make changes which we know will be better than the status quo.” 
  • “Make existing data available from older projects, so we can share evidence where it exists, and learn or adapt what we do”.  
  • “I feel a growing sense of positivity in communities.” 
  • “There have been positive impacts of covid for nature connectedness. Nature connectedness is improving”.  
  • “We sit in a long line of radical optimists. It’s a long history of struggle; let’s not lose focus on what’s changed positively”.  
  • “I think it would be important to keep in consideration that positivity is a very relative term and will look different for communities from different backgrounds….and essential in going forwards we must value different ways of knowing, more so than the dominant western scientific paradigm does.”.  
  • “We just need to convince enough people. And/or the right people.” 
  • “Science has never been more important for giving evidence to make decisions. But, that can make nature off-putting”.  
  • “Engage with one person, and they’ll engage with another. And they’ll engage with another”.  
  • “Nature’s breaking out of being a pastime because people are seeing the value of nature for their wellbeing”.  
  • “The power of little conversations is that people can see HOW to do something, that it’s fun. We can help people to do things they want to do but don’t quite know how”.   
  • “In order to make changes, I need to hang around people who know stuff – numbers and science.   

RESOURCES – Suggestions from attendees

  • Some places that already collate good news stories:

More environmentally focused – https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/04/25/here-are-all-the-positive-environmental-stories-from-2023-so-far    

  • Examples given of action for nature:

https://www.northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk/

RSPB mobilising members and supporters to combat threatened negative effects of new nuclear power station Sizewell C.

WWOOF https://wwoof.org.uk/en/ involves people from all over about sustainability by doing practical stuff.

In Shrewsbury https://www.streetallotmentproject.org/  https://www.facebook.com/groups/273539853894430/?locale=en_GB  

And, local people who take it upon themselves to litter pick on their morning walk (I know two people who do this)