Finding Nature

Two years ago today I made an unexpected discovery. This blog post is a more personal story, a departure from the usual content, although all about connections. A story shared to the Internet in the hope that one day it might lead to the completion of a very difficult puzzle, or maybe a photo to illustrate the story.

In Reconnection I considered the history of our failing relationship with nature. A journey from the landscape of evolution, hunter-gatherers and through revolutions of farming and industry. Very often difficult lives, but successful ones given the 10,000 or so generations that have led to our co-existence here and now. The success of our parents, their parents and the thousands of others who came before represents a thread of life. I’ve always been keen to trace these threads. My father’s family of pipe organ builders from Marylebone in London and my mother’s family that has lived locally for centuries.

Threads

After finishing writing Reconnection and having hit the buffers in my family tree research, I took a DNA test in the hope of finding out more. And I found out more than I ever imagined, the father who brought me up, was not my biological father. My family tree was suddenly missing a branch. However, the results that took away so much in one instant, also revealed very little about my biological father. My DNA matches were mainly 4^th and 5^th cousins.

The story of the search has taken many twists and turns and is still incomplete. This blog doesn’t tell the story of the search, that’s for another time, it simply shares where we’ve got to in the hope that this thread on the Internet might be picked up one day by someone researching some of the names that follow.

I say “we” as the search is complex, involving specialist skills. I called upon the Executive Director of GenGenies.org and investigative genetic genealogist, Britta Brewer, based in the US. She was able to sort and triangulate hundreds of the small matches from the various consumer databases that have my DNA results.

These DNA facts, together with clues from the sports columns of 1960s newspaper archives, helped identify truths and untruths, link people by time and place and refine the search. Such that a possible father did genetically line up with many of my probable paternal grandmother’s other descendants. So, it seems likely from piecing together the distant DNA matches, that my paternal grandmother could be Alice Whorwood who was born on 4 April 1910 in Two Gates, Tamworth. She married William Edward Adcock, they had three children and Alice died on 7 April 1977 in Lichfield, Staffordshire. Britta and I are at a point where my likely newfound cousins will need to take test to confirm the findings, but that is not a straightforward request!

How distant DNA matches (pink boxes) come together to identify ancestors

So, before wrapping up the story, here goes with several names and relationships, those threads that others might find via Google and pick-up.

Alice’s mother was Agnes Louisa Holland, born 15 September 1883 also in Two Gates. She married George Whorwood in January 1904 in Tamworth. They had eight children, so plenty of descendants who might take a DNA test to help confirm my paternal line, or otherwise. Agnes died on 30 September 1964.

There are several distant DNA matches that support my ancestors on this side being Holland’s, Stokes’, Simmons’ and Parker’s from the Warwickshire and Staffordshire area.

Agnes was the daughter of Thomas Holland, born April 1842 in West Bromwich. He died on 5 September 1924 in Tamworth having many children with Hesther Simmons, born 6 August 1846 in Wilnecote, Warwickshire and died in April 1915 in Tamworth.

Back to Alice and her husband, and my great grandfather, George Whorwood, born on 27 February 1881 in Fazeley, Staffordshire. He died on 4 March 1943 in Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire and was buried in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

Again, there are many distant DNA matches to support this paternal line, via his mother, my likely 2^nd great grandmother, Fanny Sandland born on 5 July 1856 in Wilnecote, Warwickshire. She died in July 1935 in Tamworth and her mother Harriet Alsop, my potential 3^rd great grandmother, born 25 January 1817 in Polesworth, Warwickshire, died in April 1886 in Tamworth once again.

That’s my paternal grandmother’s line, mainly miners and labourers. The paternal grandfather line is more complex. Some DNA matches line up with my paternal grandfather’s mother, but his father is missing matches, meaning his father is also likely different to the paper trail. This complicates the search, but the overwhelming DNA evidence pointing toward my likely father negates the one missing link.

What we do know is that line is descended from my 3^rd great grandfather James Brockley, born in 1828 in Wolstanton, Staffordshire. A farmer of 296 acres, he died in January 1907 in Newport, Shropshire. He married Sarah Frost born in 1830 in Wolstanton, who died in 1895.

My closest DNA match, a 2^nd or 3rd cousin is on this side, suggests that a descendant of Joseph Nield and Mary Tatton could be linked to Alice Whorwood, several lived in the same area around Tamworth. Like Joseph, Henry, William and Cecil Nield of Middleton.

Joseph Nield was born on 10 October 1874 in Wolstanton, Staffordshire. He married Mary Tatton on 31 October 1893 and they lived in Middleton, Warwickshire. Mary Tatton was born further afield in Barnes, Surrey on 22 October 1876.

So, they are the main threads. The DNA test also revealed very distant threads, mainly from England, but traces to Sweden, Norway, Germany and Ireland.

On my maternal side, I am a descendant of a European woman who lived around 13,000 years ago. Her ancestors migrated into Europe from the Middle East as the Ice Age receded. An illustration of the ever-growing tree from a few distant roots.

Wider Origins

My paternal line took a different journey domesticating plants and animals in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East, before pushing east into Central Asia and north into the Caucasus Mountains. Some of them eventually reached the steppes above the Black and Caspian Seas. Pastoral nomads, herding cattle and sheep across the grasslands, others to the south developed bronze tools and weaponry. Around 5,000 years ago they spilled east across Siberia and down into Central Asia. To the west, they pushed down into the Balkans and to central Europe. Over time, their descendants spread from central Europe to the Atlantic coast.

The DNA threads can even identify individuals from this era, and thereby illustrate the journeys above. Like around 1 in and 100 others I’m related to an infant buried between 1379 BC and 1196 BC in Kazakhstan. And also, a few centuries later, a man of the Tagar culture, an Early Iron Age culture that farmed in southern Siberia.

Fast forward, a thousand years and like around 1 in 300 others, I’m related to a Seafaring Warrior from Sweden, buried with weapons in a ship after an conflict between 700 and 800 AD in Salme, Estonia. Closer still, like just a few thousand people in the UK, I’m more closely related to young Danish Viking raider of 880 AD to 1002 AD found in a mass grave of massacre victims at St. John’s College at Oxford University.

Of course, similar threads run through wildlife, but across many more generations, with far more failures as populations dwindle. Looking further back in time to our ancestors brings continuity, connects us with place and shapes our personal identity – I’ve been to Tamworth for the first time! As I explore in The Blackbird’s Song, that link to the past can be used to encourage us to look forward and think about becoming good ancestors ourselves, by restoring the natural world and our relationship with it and others.

To tackle the environmental crises we need a new relationship with the rest of nature. To do science, and for simple messaging, we often isolate the factors that are important for a new relationship with nature. Yet, in reality these factors form a network and do not work in isolation. Life and relationships are complex. In our latest research, published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, we aimed to capture there interrelations by treating nature connectedness experiences as a network using principles adapted from social network analysis. The results showed the approach works well, confirming previous research using other approaches, but suggesting novel insights too.

The details of network analysis and how it was done are in the full paper, but very briefly it involved asking a couple of hundred people to complete a card sorting task about their nature connection experiences, moving network factor cards to show which were present or not. One study looked at the emotions that may or may not be part of nature connection experiences, such as joy, fear or love. The second study considered the activities that may or may not be part of nature connection experiences, such as watching nature or learning about nature.

The Emotion Network

All emotions, especially the positive ones, seemed to have at least some degree of influence on nature connectedness. Let’s look at negative influence first. The most noteworthy (i.e., the biggest and reddest nodes) were boredom, irritation, and disgust. These negative emotions were highly and distinctly absent from peoples’ nature-connection experiences.

The most noteworthy positively influential emotions (i.e., the biggest and greenest nodes) were awe, joy, inspiration, excitement, love, and gratitude. These positive emotions were highly and distinctly present in peoples’ nature-connection experiences. Some of this is known or suggested from previous research using other methods, thereby showing the network approach works well.

The network analysis did though produce some more novel insights. First, eco-anxiety may not be an obstacle to nature connection, see this recent blog for more on this relationship. Second, boredom, which may serve as a barrier to positive experiences, but has surprisingly received little attention. Third, the role of nostalgia and curiosity. Curiosity is a desire to know more, it turns knowledge, which does little on its own to increase nature connection, into an emotion.

Nostalgia is an emotion found across cultures that makes life more meaningful and provides a bridge between the past and present. Like nature connection, nostalgia is a positive emotion and helps us feel part of something beyond the here and now. Many nature connectedness interventions focus on mindfulness and being ‘in the moment’. There is far less work that considers time and looking back. Such ‘beyond the moment’ narratives and traditions—such as those more that feature more prominently in the more harmonious Indigenous relationships with nature—are likely to have a role in negating emotions such as disgust and boredom and generating positive emotions, together with interest, curiosity, and hope from reflecting on the bigger picture. At the very least, the evident role of nostalgia here may give reason to broaden our scope beyond in-the-moment and mindfulness-based interventions to consider narrative and remembering-the-past based interventions (see this recent blog for more).

Further, the network also shows ‘centrality’. The three most positively central emotions were inspiration, love, and excitement. So, when inspiration, love, and excitement are present, many other positively influential emotions are likely to be present, and few negatively influential emotions are likely to be present (see this recent blog for more on love).

Finally, three distinct clusters emerged in the network; drive, contentment and threat. These clusters mapped strongly onto my accounts of how nature helps play a role in affect regulation and well-being. The fact the emotions in nature connectedness experiences clustered in a way that mirrors this model of emotion regulation, suggests a novel point of convergence between nature-connectedness, emotion regulation in nature, and physiological responses to nature, helping, for example, to explain how nature connectedness brings wellbeing.

The Activity Network

The good news here was that the pathways to nature connection came through strongly as being highly and uniquely present in people’s nature connection experiences. So they were confirmed by a completely different method, but the network analysis showed how they may work together. It also confirmed that scientific engagement is not an important pathway, but can be a stepping stone. Our pathways suggestion has always been to make the science emotional or meaningful.

Interestingly, basic engagement with nature was necessary, but not sufficient, it needs to be meaningful. This returns us to a common theme, there’s a need to move beyond access as nature connection is about moments not minutes.

In terms of barriers, discomfort and distraction (e.g. thinking about things to do or listening to music) came through as barriers to nature connection, which tie into irritation and boredom from the first study. The separate roles of stewardship and social engagement were further novel insights that need to be explored further.

So, some key take aways:

• The key role of emotions in the human–nature relationship, but they feature little in policy.
• The need to move beyond access to meaningful and deliberate engagement.
• The importance of inspiration and love.
• The role of nostalgia and ‘beyond the moment’ narratives and traditions.
• Disgust, boredom, and irritation seem to get in the way of nature connectedness.
• The pathways to nature connection were confirmed.

To summarise, the research demonstrated the utility of the situation network approach. Its validity was supported by its ability to corroborate existing research findings, such as the importance of key positive emotions (e.g., awe and joy) and key pathways to nature connectedness (e.g., meaning and beauty). Further, the generativity of the approach, even within a well-established body of literature, was supported by its ability to identify novel findings. That’s useful for further research, but for application, this approach has highlighted the need for policy to recognise interrelationships and move beyond limited notions of access to include active and meaningful engagement with nature, through targeting key emotions such as inspiration from or love for nature and combating irritation and boredom.

Lengieza, M.L., Richardson, M. & Aviste, M (2024). Situation Networks: The emotions and activities that are central to nature-connectedness experiences, Journal of Environmental Psychology.

Nature connectedness, our love of nature, shapes our identity and values and is a decisive construct in influencing people’s values and behaviours and an important ‘leverage point’ for a sustainable future. Similarly, connectedness to Humanity, our sense of connection with others, is associated with behaviours focused on achieving harmony between the individuals within society. An interesting new research study explores how they interact to bring responsible eco and social behaviours.

Although we divide nature into fragments to inspect and understand, it is relationships that make the world go around. Relational worldviews are perhaps the original worldviews, split apart by revolutions of science and consumption, to the point reality is forgotten. Cognitive science shows us that mind, body and the wider environment are one. Connectedness matters.

This recent study measured both nature and social connectedness, plus eco and social values and responsible consumption, of close to 500 adults from the UK and USA. Some complex statistical modelling tested how nature and social connectedness effected values and responsible consumption.

As you might expect, nature connectedness contributed to eco-responsible consumption, and socio-responsible consumption lesser extent. And social connectedness contributed to socio-responsible consumption, and eco-responsible consumption to a lesser extent – but independently of the common factor of connectedness. Again, as you might expect, biospheric values were involved in the link between nature connectedness and eco-responsible consumption, while altruistic values were involved in the link between CH and socio-responsible consumption.

Now for two really interesting findings! First, nature connectedness was a better predictor than connection to humanity of altruistic values that go on to promote socio-responsible behaviours. This suggests that nature connectedness is a more encompassing and profound form of connection that extends to both the natural and social environments. Second, connection to humanity had a negative contribution to biospheric values and thereby eco-responsible consumption.

These results are discussed with reference to in-group and out-group dynamics or us and them. The suggestion being that nature connection involves aligning with an out-group. Whereas, being solely connected to humanity, the in-group, could lead to the othering and rejection of nature. Alternatively, it could be that nature connection is a broad concept that includes humans, as we are of nature. Whereas connection to humans is a narrower concept that does not include nature. Further, there’s also a theory that people emotionally absorbed in human concerns can neglect the more than human world. And more and more people are becoming absorbed in human concerns. I discuss research into the rise of individualism in Reconnection. Cultivation of identities, the increase in personal pronoun use and individualistic phrases leading to whole in-groups of people believing that they deserve special treatment, thereby generating hostility towards those outside the group, leading to yet more preoccupation with human concerns.

In-group, out-group is a foundational component of psychology, so is our need for affiliation with others. Yet, contemporary society seems to foster disconnection, from family structures to technology and high-rise living, within economic and business systems that disconnect consumers and producers. Counterintuitively, the study of social and nature connectedness above suggests a solution lies on focussing on affiliation with nature.

In sum, an exclusive focus on human connections can lead to nature being viewed as an out-group, thereby undermining eco-responsible behaviours. Whereas focussing on nature connectedness can enhance both nature’s and human wellbeing.

Stinus, C., Shankland, R. & Berjot, S. Connectedness to humanity and connectedness to nature as a leverage point for eco and socio-responsible consumption. Curr Psychol 43, 30429–30445 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-06621-1

Writing The Blackbird’s Song & Other Wonders of Nature was a special time, and the book was published 24th October, less than a year after I typed the first words. Finished in July this year it is current. A practical guide to connecting with nature, based on years of research and a writing process that generated new ideas. Special though because it reminded me of the need to keep on finding everyday wonders of nature, bombarded, as we are, with other demands on our attention.

I’m writing this blog as I sit beneath an ash tree. The ground becoming more leaf than earth, as a dunnock hops about quietly searching for food just a few feet away from me. It is these simple shared moments that are special, and it sometimes feels like they have to be carved out of a day busy with other things. The Blackbird’s Song is a guide to help others find and enjoy their own moments, to cast off the demands of busy lives and focus on the joy and calm of nature that can be found close to home.

Month by month, The Blackbird’s Song introduces nature connection science and stories that provide the foundations for activities, from simply breathing and noticing to travelling in time. Each month ends with an activity for nature, to give back. The Blackbird’s Song is not a pill to pop, it’s a guide to developing a reciprocal relationship within nature.

My dunnock friend is now perched, its gaze taking in all that surrounds. A great tit and blue tit perch close by momentarily then leave. The dunnock drops down and returns to its search of the golden leaves.

Each month The Blackbird’s Song highlights these everyday birds, ‘angels’ as they are messengers from an extinction many millions of years ago. Although the book provides simplicity for the individual, it touches on the deeper meaning that surround our connections with nature, from deep time and the need for good ancestors to our worldview.

The science of nature connection is a wonder of its own, from hidden, yet vital, microbes that keep us well, to how the soft fascination of a single flower can help manage our moods. There’s science in the power of tapping into the awe and wonder of nature and reflecting upon the moments we enjoy. Different ways of knowing are introduced and how scientific and spiritual mysteries might combine as we seek the essence of nature. All this informs suggestions of how to reconnect with the natural world.

Science gives us a better understanding of our connections with the rest of nature and through art those connections can be understood further still. Understandings that can be discovered and shared through stories, maps and song. The Blackbird’s Song seeks connections with nature through head, heart and hands.

The dunnock has now left, to be found as an angel in March and a hedgerow near you, soon after the blackbird’s return to song. Below are some comments from others that have read The Blackbird’s Song & Other Wonders of Nature.

________

A wonderful “rough guide” to the planet we live on… Read it and pass it on as a gift of love from you to those around you so they can learn to feel comfortable in their own skins and ultimately, be happy. ― Sir Tim Smit, The Eden Project

Inspiring and rooted in research, The Blackbird’s Song will surely transform lives. ― Melissa Harrison, author and nature writer.

A treasury of practical ways to reconnect with nature and feed your soul. ― Mary-Ann Ochota, author and broadcaster.

The Tune into Nature Music Prize is back from hibernation and receiving entries. With a first prize of £500, the prize aims to encourage submissions of original music from young musicians aged 18 to 30 that celebrate the human-nature relationship and showcase the inclusion of sounds of the natural world. Organisers hope the tunes will highlight the need for a new, stronger relationship with nature whilst providing vital support for young creative talent.

You can find out all you need to know about the prize, new partners, opportunities for winners and judges on the new website: https://www.tuneintonaturemusicprize.info/

The winner will have the option of their track being released on NATURE’s profile across major streaming platforms as part of the Sounds Right initiative, benefiting from significant promotion and marketing, and featured on a special playlist to raise funds for nature restoration and protection. Winners may also get the chance of air play on BBC Radio.

Judges for the prize include musicians and artists including Cosmo Sheldrake, Madame Gandhi, Andrew Fearn (Sleaford Mods), Jason Singh, Jinny Lyon, Melissa Harrison and Sam Lee, and BBC presenters Sian Eleri and Elizabeth Alker.

Nature connection dips during teenage years and takes more than a decade to recover. Research also shows that references to nature in contemporary music have decreased consistently since the 1950s. This research provides a basis for the prize. Plus, a close connection with nature is good for personal wellbeing and motivates greater care for the natural world.

From Louis Armstrong to Louis VI, a Tune into Nature play list on Spotify provides inspiration, with lyrics and sounds that celebrate the natural world. The playlist also include previous winners Ceitidh Mac, Girl Next Door  and Caslean.

Finally, the Tune Into Nature Music Prize  is a collaboration, we’re on the look out for organisations who can help amplify the message. If you can help, get in touch.