Connecting with nature: Reciprocity as central to identity and wellbeing

Abstract

Connection with nature is a fundamental human need with implications on wellbeing. However, people are increasingly distanced from nature with reduced opportunities for place-based practices, which are vital expressions of nature-centric identities and for living a good, fulfilling life. Drawing on past work on social identity theory, we propose that relational values and place-based practices are fundamental to the relationship between nature-based identities and wellbeing. We also discuss how many Indigenous communities demonstrate the importance of this relationship, with nature-kinship and place-based practices playing a vital role in the promotion of social and environmental wellbeing. As such, the negative consequences of ecological degradation on wellbeing are especially alarming amongst Indigenous communities, for whom nature is a fundamental part of their identity, but with ramifications also on broader populations. In this conceptual review, we briefly touch on nature connectedness and its relationship to values and wellbeing, before centering place as vital to value expression. We further propose that efforts to reverse cultural and ecological degradation must begin by supporting communities to enact nature-based values and practices, particularly for those Indigenous peoples who are most affected. We provide recommendations for future research into efforts to facilitate reciprocal reconnection between humanity and nature with the aim of understanding and supporting both environmental and human wellbeing.