Engaging design for ecological citizenship: Informing approaches to human-nature interactions

The Covid-19 pandemic fore-fronted, public urban and suburban nature interactions. ‘Human-Nature interactions’ produce positive health impacts, knowledge production, risk perception, sustainable behaviour, engagement in conservation and more. Governmental and charitable reporting documents ‘nature deficit disorder’. The (2021) Design Economy report highlights that social, environmental, and economic design must engage communities. Ergo, building community empowerment is paramount to catalyse and embed sustainable design practices. Authors define a contemporary design space, unpick strategies and present ‘Approaches to Human-Nature Interactions’ insights. The My Naturewatch (NW) project features an accessible DIY camera trap, fostering beneficial nature engagements regardless of: location, technological and/or wildlife expertise. NW is central within the outlined design space. The article reports on NW deployment(s) and catalysing organisations and communities. Three studies include: 1) The Wildlife Trusts #30dayswild, digital campaign, 2) The Durrell Trust, placed-based activity, and 3) Nova New Opportunities, working with re-located communities. Authors acknowledge communities are sacrosanct and a substantial sustainable design asset for regeneration. The work leverages contemporary ‘phy-digital’ engagements, highlighting practices of social, environmental, and public design spaces. The findings insights benefit: cultural institutions, practitioners, conservation projects and more