In raising children with nature at the heart of everything, I’ve observed delightful and profound side-effects: care and compassion, love, action and vigilance for all their neighbours. It’s a social awareness and a deep sense of justice. In some ways, it feels like an accidental mindset that has come with loving, looking out for and caring about nature, but in reality it’s an entirely natural association. Nature and people are part of the same community.
All almost-grown now (my youngest is 17), my three have been raised through this column and the pieces I wrote with them for the RSPB children’s magazine Bird Life (now Wild Explorer). They know the importance of nature and that there’s no growth on a finite planet unless nature and everyone is included.
As soon as I was aware of nature as a world beside and entwined with mine, I knew the loss of it – and my children and many young people I know are no different. It’s not easy to stand up and stand out for a cause when so much of school is about keeping your head down and fitting in.
‘Listening and inviting opinions from young people without judgement is key’
But when young people find the courage to do so, and are supported by adults, they often find they are joined by others. And there’s no better feeling. The euphoria and hope engendered by the family-friendly Restore Nature Now March (below) in June last year was extraordinarily uplifting and galvanising.
So how do we go about supporting and encouraging our young people? When I began campaigning for nature, the challenges were similar, but not the same. Connecting with others and being heard was difficult, as was taking action and knowing what to do to help. Much has improved in this vein through positive social media and organisations such as the RSPB leading on campaigns with guidance, but it’s important to acknowledge that so much has become harder both to deal with and act for.
On the adults’ part, listening and inviting opinions from young people without judgement is key. We can learn a lot, and must also own that it is our and preceding generations that have got ourselves into this nature and climate emergency, even if we are not individually responsible.
Meet the RSPB Youth Council. Video: @RSPBVideo
Standing by their actions for nature while matching, elevating and enabling them with our own can create a strong, lasting bond. School and youth organisations can be great enablers too, but initiatives often need to be instigated and sustained by adults. But connecting young campaigners to each other is vital, too – the RSPB’s Youth Council is phenomenally inspirational.
Meet the RSPB’s four new ambassadors hoping to inspire others to support the natural world.
Eco anxiety is real and worsening in the face of governments that do not prioritise nature and climate. And the harsh treatment of peaceful protesters raising the alarm is frightening. We seem damned if we do speak up and damned if we don’t stand up for nature. But with solid insistence and resistance in all we do for nature, we let our young people know we’ve got their backs as we stand with them. Loving nature makes the best citizens of us all.
