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The aim of this research is to better understand connections to and perceptions of nature and biodiversity among City of Melbourne users (residents, workers, visitors). This work will help the City of Melbourne identify segments of the population to target with outreach programs and will help progress and further develop the theory of connection to nature and its interactions with pro-biodiversity behaviours. Connection to nature has multiple benefits for people. It is well established that connection to nature contributes to better mental health and subjective wellbeing and additionally, increases the likelihood of engaging in conservation behaviours (Mackay and Schmitt 2019; Whitburn et al. 2019). Recent research of urban residents demonstrated that those residents engaged in activities that take place in nature as part of their daily routine (both incidental and deliberate) increased connection to nature which subsequently influenced their participation in environmental behaviours (Prévot et al. 2018). However, many urban environments increase separation from nature, and as such, less time is spent in nature. This results in lower connection to nature and an ‘extinction of experience’ reducing an individual's emotional affinity for nature (Miller 2005). Governments are increasingly focused on understanding and increasing connection to nature among their communities, in the hopes of increasing societal wellbeing and a more engaged environmental citizenry (DELWP, 2018). The City of Melbourne’s Nature in the City Strategy sets a target that ‘by 2027 more residents, workers, and visitors encounter value and understand nature in the city than they did in 2017’. The proposed survey will assist the City of Melbourne in understanding the Melbourne community’s connection to nature, their engagement with nature in the city and knowledge of conservation issues. This understanding will allow the City of Melbourne to identify barriers and opportunities to potential pathways for increasing both connection to nature and environmental behaviours among city users. To achieve our aims we will survey a representative sample of city users through an online panel survey. The survey will consist of a 20 minute questionnaire. The participants will be asked a series of questions pertaining to their connection and interaction with nature and biodiversity. They will be asked about their perceptions of nature within the City of Melbourne, the barriers they face in engaging with nature, environmental concern, self-efficacy to engage in pro-conservation behaviours, knowledge of biodiversity and pro-conservation behaviours they participate in. |
