Now, more than ever, nature needs people. It needs us to care for it, fight for it, advocate for it and be guardians for its future existence.

However, there is little doubt left that people are losing their connection to the natural world. Last month, Professor Miles Richardson, from the University of Derby, published a report that found in the past 200 years, people’s connection to nature has declined by a staggering 60%.

Sometimes, within the protected landscapes sector, we find ourselves in an echo chamber. We talk about nature daily, we understand the crisis we are in, and we all work extremely hard to repair the damage that’s been done through years of neglect and sadly, wilful abuse, through our action and our advocacy. Nature’s future literally means the world to us. But while we are so invested and interested because it is part of our daily lives, we can forget that’s not the same outside of our circle.

For many people, access and belonging in nature is out of reach for a multitude of reasons. From feeling unsafe in outdoor spaces because of your faith or race, to being unable to access landscapes because of physical disabilities, through to not knowing about these incredible places or how to access them, because they are not part of your life and social circle or the anxiety of using nature differently to what is traditionally expected. There are innumerable reasons why people don’t spend time in the outdoors and that needs to change.

Firstly, it needs to change because everyone should have equal access to protected landscapes. Nobody should feel unsafe, unwanted or unsure when it comes to spending time in protected landscapes. And secondly, we need as many people as possible to love these places if they are to be part of safeguarding their future. To care for nature and the outdoors, you have to care about nature and the outdoors. And you have to feel you have a stake in their future because they are part of your future.

But changing people’s experiences and perspectives doesn’t happen by simply hoping or talking in board rooms or writing reports. We have to act, it has to be a change in attitude, behaviour and practice. We have to accept that this sector has often been an exclusive one and one of some privilege, despite the initial reason for the Countryside Act being established was to give EVERYONE access to the outdoors. We must acknowledge that so much more needs to be done and we need to do this alongside the people who either feel that protected landscapes ‘aren’t for them’. And we have to talk about it.

In the past few years, the sector has made significant and much-needed steps to change this feeling that protected landscapes are exclusive and elusive, but more work needs to be done.

At National Landscapes Association, we are dedicated to making our landscapes accessible to everyone. We’re lucky enough to know the joy you can get from spending time in nature and the outdoors and we don’t want anyone to miss out on all the joy being in these spaces can bring. We want to listen, learn and make the changes needed.

John Watkins, Chief Executive of National Landscapes Association, explains: “We had a great response to our recent Conference and we know we're facilitating some really important discussions. We were lucky to hear from a range of voices, discussing the subject of people’s access to protected landscapes. From our speakers and workshop leaders, through to our delegates, we heard about why people felt excluded and explored ways in which we can do better. Because while our intention is both good and honourable, it’s of no use unless we are listening to the people who are directly affected. We need to hear those hard truths and unheard voices, we need to understand better to enable us to do better."

Ismail Kholwadia, of Focal Elements, was one of our key speakers and his insight and expertise in the area of race and faith in protected landscapes has been invaluable. Not only was he generous enough to share his experiences with our delegates, but he was also forthright in his ideas on how to support change. And as they say, change begins with us.

Ismail said: “We as leaders and people within organisational structure sometimes feel like we don’t have the voice or power to enable change, the reality is, it really doesn’t start at an organisational level, its personal and individual. Over the last few years, we have seen the growth of listening and learning or lunch and learn sessions, which can be valuable, but how many of these session are structured and constructive to enable confident enablement towards change?

“The conference allowed for opportunities of inspiration to explore learning and engagement through shared experiences. This builds for stronger and meaningful relationships with different communities and groups that can inform positive action towards behavioural change in creating a welcoming natural world which is thriving and reflective of society. Change takes time and is gradual with consistent work.”

By working together with individuals, groups and partners to implement the intentions and build confidence and awareness within the sector

While we aimed to make our Conference as inclusive as possible, there were elements where we failed to deliver that. But rather than quietly attempting to avoid the responsibility, we want to be open and learn from the experience.

We liaised with our location hosts to ensure there was a prayer room for our delegates but when it came to the day itself the room couldn’t be accessed without a key, and the key holder couldn’t be found.

The halal catering services fell short due to lack of contextual faith awareness and training not being prioritised. The assumption of the caterers who told delegates “you can take our word, it’s halal”, fails to set a foundation of comfort and reassurance for people trying to live an identity and not just fill their stomachs.

The halal food was also served late which left recipients feeling awkward and let down. While we wanted to ensure everyone was catered for, it showed us that we need to take a more active role to ensure that what we are offering is up to a high standard.

Access for disabled people is also something we determinedly aim to deliver but again, we fell short on this. The parking facilities were not what we expected and caused unnecessary and unacceptable issues for the delegates using them and the proximity of the accommodation to the venue should have been much closer.

Craig Grimes, Managing Director at Experience Community CIC, who attended the National Landscapes Association Conference, said: “The conference was generally really welcoming for me as a wheelchair user and the organisers are always very helpful but it’s a learning curve for everyone involved. While efforts were made to make it as inclusive as possible and more information was provided than the year before, the wheelchair accessible accommodation was down a very steep hill and a 10 minute walk away. However, because National Landscapes Association had made the reasonable adjustment of allowing my Support Worker to attend with me free of charge, we were able to overcome issues both on campus and on the field trip.

“Pre-event information is key for disabled people so that we can make informed choices as to whether something is going to be suitable for our needs or if we’re going to require additional support or simply not be able to attend.”

Instead of quietly acknowledging this and making notes to change next year, we have already spoken to Ismail and Craig about how we can get it right next time. Not just what we think is right but working with experts to help us shape, advise and ensure we are better informed about how to accommodate everyone from the start of the Conference and throughout.

We are also working closely with Saskia Luqmani, EDI Lead at the Protected Landscapes Partnership (PLP), who delivered a fringe session on Race and Faith at our Conference. Over the past 18 months Saskia’s work has been integral to the way protected landscapes think about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the changes we are implementing. Which includes our Senior Communications and Media Officer, Kaye Jemmeson, being part of the PLP’s EDI Working Group.

Saskia said: “It’s great to see that the National Landscape Association are committed to EDI and this really showed in the conference speakers and discussions, but also in the work being delivered across the National Landscapes network. However, one of the biggest barriers we face is the “fear of getting it wrong”.

“What we’ve all got to learn is that this fear can stop us from listening, trying and changing. Instead of being worried about getting it wrong, we’ve got to be prepared to ask for help, guidance and expertise from those with the experience and knowledge to make our events and programmes work better for everyone and then we’ve got to take responsibility for making those changes happen”

In this sector, we are fortunate enough to be in roles where we can affect change in this sector and we each have the responsibility to do just that. Now is the time to start reversing that 60% decline in connection to nature because it’s a win, win because we need nature and nature needs us. All of us.

Nature is amazing and everyone should feel its importance and place in their lives. EDI shouldn’t be an afterthought and inclusion shouldn’t be just one element of a specific programme, it should be at the core of what we do.

John added: "Our Nature Calling arts programme has shown the power of creativity to open doors into National Landscapes. By working with community groups, we’ve welcomed people who never felt these places belonged to them, and shown them that the outdoors is for everyone. It’s been a brilliant success, but this is only the beginning. We must go further, reaching more voices, more communities and creating a future where every person feels at home in our shared landscapes.”

Our mission to protect and conserve these amazing places should always have both nature and people at its heart - they are not mutually exclusive. This is a symbiotic relationship that needs to be nurtured for the good of both parties. Without nature, we simply won’t exist but without people to care for nature, we are lost before the real fight begins. And it’s a fight we are tackling head on and with as many people on board as possible. Because it is for everyone. It always has been and it always will be, we just need to make sure everyone knows and feels that.