Engagement with nature among LGBTQIA+ communities

Engagement with green space and biodiversity is important for mental and physical wellbeing. There is increasing recognition of inequities in nature access: some groups, including LGBTQIA+ people, experience barriers, e.g. feeling unsafe or unwelcome in rural areas. However, there is little evidence around LGBTQIA+ people's experiences of nature-engagement, and specific benefits and barriers for these groups.

Potential questions include: What are current levels of engagement with biodiversity, and access to nature, among LGBTQIA+ communities? What are the barriers to greater engagement and access?

How can new interventions (e.g. creative/cultural practices, and science communication around queer ecologies) address these barriers?

The topic offers opportunities for collaboration with existing community groups and conservation bodies, and could draw on creative methods; e.g. walking interviews, participatory mapping, photo/video elicitation, and biographical interviews.