Losing our connection with nature: Over 50% decline in 220 years
- Natasha Dudek
- Oct 18
- 4 min read
As cities have expanded and concrete has replaced green spaces, many of us are spending less time in nature, and feeling less connected to it. In fact, according to new research published in the journal Earth, peoples’ connection to nature has declined by 52% over the last 220 years. This growing disconnection, known as the “extinction of experience,” isn’t just a personal loss. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), it is a major driver of today’s twin crises: biodiversity loss and climate change.
The study, by Professor Miles Richardson of the University of Derby, looks at how our connection to nature has changed over the past 220 years and explores where it might head in the future. Using an agent-based computer simulation, Richardson investigated how factors such as urban growth, access to green spaces, personal attitudes, and family influence shape our relationship with nature across generations. Historical data on urbanisation and environmental loss were used to calibrate the model, which was then applied to explore which interventions could help slow or even reverse the decline in nature connectedness through to the year 2125.
After developing the model, Richardson first validated that it accurately reflected the historical decline in nature connectedness. He compared the model’s results with real-world trends, using the frequency of nature-related words in literature as a proxy. The model successfully replicated the 220-year decline, showing a drop of about 61% from 1800 to 2020. While it slightly overestimated the peak decline of 60.58% in 1990 and did not capture the modest rebound to 52.39% by 2020, it overall mirrored the long-term trend in human–nature connection.
To understand what drives the loss of connection to nature, Richardson conducted a sensitivity analysis on the model. Using a “one factor at a time” approach, he examined the effect of each parameter individually to uncover how different factors influence the model’s outcomes and the patterns produced by the simulation. Family influence emerged as the dominant factor, with low parental nature connectedness strongly reducing children’s affinity for nature and reinforcing the extinction-of-experience cycle. Even when other feedback mechanisms were removed, the model still matched historical patterns, underscoring the central role of familial transmission in shaping long-term human–nature disconnection.
The study then explored what might happen to our connection to nature up to the year 2125. Without intervention, the model suggests it will continue to steadily decline. Richardson tested different types, levels, and combinations of interventions; namely nature restoration, boosting intergenerational transmission of nature connection, and increasing engagement with natural environments. The most promising scenario occurs when access to nature is dramatically increased (by up to 1000%) and combined with programs that help children develop stronger connections to nature. This combination of more green spaces and reinforced family and cultural influence leads to a significant, lasting improvement in people’s connection to nature. The study also highlighted that gains in nature connectedness often take decades to appear, emphasizing the need for early and sustained action.
To put these strategies into practice, the study suggests several concrete actions. Strengthening intergenerational transmission can be achieved through parental engagement programs, nature-focused school curricula, community activities, and peer networks that help children develop lasting bonds with nature. Nature restoration and increasing access to green spaces is also essential, and involves creating accessible, biodiverse green spaces and integrating nature into daily life through thoughtful urban design, transportation planning, and housing. Adaptive governance is another important factor, including incentivizing nature-rich developments and using nature-minded scenario planning to guide long-term policies. Finally, monitoring and evaluating progress by tracking changes in nature connectedness and integrating these findings into wellbeing, education, and environmental reporting can ensure continuous improvement. By combining these strategies to strengthen our connection with nature, we can support both the physical and mental health of communities while encouraging a deeper appreciation for the natural world and the challenges it - and by extension, humanity - faces.
While the study offers valuable insights, it’s important to consider its limitations. The model simplifies complex realities: it assumes urbanisation and nature loss follow fixed historical trends, uses a grid-based landscape to model the environment, and relies on nature-related words as a proxy for historical connection. It also assumes that access to nature automatically leads to engagement, which may overestimate the effect of interventions. Future research could make models more realistic by incorporating geographic detail, social influences beyond families, two-way feedbacks where nature connectedness shapes behavior, and broader societal factors, improving their accuracy and relevance for guiding policies.
Our connection to nature is undeniably eroding, and the Richardson study helps quantify and investigate the drivers behind this loss over the past 220 years, highlighting the role of family and intergenerational transmission of attitudes towards nature. Reversing this trend requires not just increasing access to green spaces, but also system-wide efforts that strengthen nature engagement from an early age.
Even after 220 years of decline, there is reason for hope: with sustained effort, future generations can rebuild their connection with nature, even if a full return to historical levels may not happen anytime soon. Rebuilding this connection is essential not only for our mental and physical well-being but also for tackling urgent environmental challenges like biodiversity loss and climate change. If addressing these issues is important to you, consider how you can inspire a love of nature in your family, friends, and community. Nurturing these connections is one of the most powerful ways to support both human well-being and the natural world.
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