Start here: What is Urban Nature Diary?
Start here: What is Urban Nature Diary?
An introduction, an inspiration.
People are more detached from nature than ever before. We drive our cars to the office, sit on our computers all day, then drive home and sit on our couches all night.
But we don’t have to travel far to rediscover nature. I live in a small flat in London, the most densely populated part of the country, and there is an abundance of wildlife to discover on the doorstep.
It’s not just a nice-to-have, or a hobby. It’s necessary. Nature provides clean air, water and food, regulates our climate, and keeps us healthy. Over half our global economy depends on a thriving natural world.
I’m determined to prove that humans and nature can live and flourish side by side in urban areas, and would love for you to join me for the ride.
Urban Nature Diary is a weekly newsletter about how the natural world integrates with urban environments. I’ll be exploring my local area, sharing what nature has to offer all year round, and hopefully inspiring you to get outside and enjoy what’s in your own back garden - as well as protect it.
Everybody needs accessibility to nature, and today it needs us more than ever before. The UK is one of the most ecologically deprived countries in the world, and with ever increasing urbanisation we have to learn how to make our towns and cities work for people and nature - or we risk losing it forever.
Posts are usually every Wednesday, so if you’re looking for a regular dose of flora and fauna through the lens of the UK’s urban areas, you’ve come to the right place. I’m so glad to have you on the journey with me.
Here are some posts you may find interesting, to give you a taste of what Urban Nature Diary has to offer.
Deep Dives
Squirrel vs squirrel: how the grey squirrel conquered Britain and what this means for our native reds.
The flight of the peregrine: how the world’s fastest animal bounced back from near extinction, and now lives outside my bedroom window.
Wait. There are beavers in London?: rewilding London’s waterways.
What are nature-friendly neighbourhoods?: how we can design towns with nature in mind as well as people.
Short Thoughts
The stillness of birdwatching: why I love birdwatching and why you would love it too.
What makes a weed a weed: rethinking our relationship with plants.
Bumblebee spotting with friends: what I learned from a day of counting bumblebees.
