NATURE CONNECTEDNESS
Humans have an intrinsic need for nature
Human beings are intrinsically and inseparably connected to nature. Throughout evolutionary history, we have spent over 99% of our existence in close contact with the natural world. Nature is our original habitat, and our instinctive search for closeness to it has always been tied to both survival and well-being. The ability to forage, hunt, fish, and find fresh water has historically depended on our physical proximity to nature.
Nature absorbs carbon dioxide and enables our very breath. But on a mental level as well, humans have always had an innate need to seek out nature to experience well-being. Emotional, mental, and spiritual closeness to the natural world calms and restores us. It soothes the nervous system, lowers blood pressure, stimulates the production of our "happiness hormones," and reduces stress hormone levels.
This constant drive to connect with the natural world around us, to restore balance with our inner nature, is genetically and cellularly programmed into what it means to be human. We are nature. On the inside. And we need nature. All around us.
What Is Nature Connectedness?
Nature Connectedness in short, is the sum of these human needs.
Emerging from a richly interdisciplinary field of research, including Education, Psychology, Biology, and Geography, Nature Connectedness as both a research and practice field is broad and widely respected in many sectors. For all our overall and subsidiary work in NEED FOR NATURE GROUP, we lean into the Nature Connectedness research field, as well as actively contribute to it through our own research.
Nature Connectedness describes the deep relationship between humans and the natural world. It includes how we feel about nature, how we think about it, and how we experience it through our senses and daily lives.
This connection is essential for our well-being, as it shapes how we act toward the planet. When we feel close to nature, we are more likely to take action and protect it.
The term has its roots in 50 years of research increasingly describing the fundamental genetic drive in humans to form positive relationships and connections with other forms of life on this planet. We are simply born with a deep fascination with nature, designed to keep us alive.
Why humans have a need for Nature Connectedness
Two key ideas help explain our bond with nature; the Biophilia and the Topophilia Hypothesis…
The Biophilia Hypothesis is the idea that humans are born with a natural desire to connect with other living beings. This bond is rooted in our evolutionary past and helps us feel calm, inspired, and whole when we are in nature.
The Biophilia hypothesis presents the idea that human beings possess a genetically founded and innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life (Wilson, 1984). The basis of the Biophilia hypothesis, first proposed by biologist E.O. Wilson (1984) and later elaborated by Kellert and Wilson (1995) is that the human-nature relationship is founded deep in our evolutionary history (Kals et al., 1999). Kellert and Wilson (1995) theoretically explored the innate affinity human beings have toward the natural world. With the Biophilia hypothesis, Wilson (1984) stated that human beings have an intrinsic need to feel close to nature.
The Topophilia Hypothesis suggests that humans have a deep love for places. We don't just connect with nature in general, we often feel emotionally tied to specific places, like a childhood forest, a beach, or a favorite hiking trail.
These theories help explain why nature matters so much to us, emotionally, mentally, and even physically.
The Topophilia Hypothesis proposes that, in addition to the living world, human beings have an emotional connection to specific places (Tuan, 1974; Sampson, 2012; Beery, Jönsson & Elmberg, 2015). Topophilia has similar human evolutionary roots but grew out of studies in human geography (Tuan, 1974). Sampson (2012) proposes the Topophilia hypothesis which emphasizes the existence of human attachment to place (Stedmann & Ingels 2013; Sampson 2012). Sampson (2012) described the Topophilia Hypothesis as incorporating a broad conception of nonhuman nature and a co-evolutionary theory of genetic response and cultural learning (Sampson 2012; Beery et al., 2015). The Topophilia Hypothesis provides a multidisciplinary consideration of how biological selection and cultural learning may have interacted and adapted during human evolution (Beery, Jönsson & Elmberg, 2015). Nature connectedness has been studied through various frameworks and is seen as a holistic experience involving multiple dimensions. Restall & Conrad (2015) add a physical aspect to this connection, where sensory and embodied interactions with nature play a crucial role in building connection. Additionally, the spatial aspect of nature connectedness, as highlighted by Klaniecki et al. (2018), underscores the role of place-specific connections in nature connectedness (Beery et al., 2015; Brown & Raymond, 2007). Beery (2021) views these dimensions as an ecosystem service, proposing that childhood connections to nature serve as foundational to environmental problem-solving.
Nature Connectedness arises when we allow ourselves to act on our need to feel part of the natural world. It is the personal perception of being part of something larger than ourselves.
This connection is measured through a set of relational parameters. The degree to which a person experiences Nature Connectedness shapes their reflexive, conscious, and even subconscious behavior. It underpins our basic physiological and biochemical functioning, our mental health, our sense of responsibility and awareness of sustainable living, and ultimately, the ongoing existence of both humanity and our planet, Gaia.
Our Mission at NEED FOR NATURE GROUP
At NEED FOR NATURE GROUP, we see it as our highest mission never to lose sight of the goal to reconnect nature and humanity. We always work from an evidence-based foundation, whether we are providing therapy, offering nature-based education, or delivering consultancy and development services.
The NEED FOR NATURE GROUP approaches Nature Connectedness (in Nordic: Naturforbundethed) from multiple perspectives. What unites our work across all our fields is a consistent focus on key dimensions: Sensing, Feeling, Meaningfulness, Compassion, and Quality Nature Experience. These dimensions form the foundation of our experience design.
Our goal is always to facilitate deep, relational experiences that foster a felt sense of connection both to the nature around us and the nature within us.
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