What is nature connectedness?

Nature connectedness is about more than spending time outside. It describes how close people feel to the natural world, and how much they see themselves as part of it. Research from the University of Derby and Natural England describes it as a measurable relationship between people and nature, linked to wellbeing and pro-nature behaviour.

That matters because a stronger connection with nature can support wellbeing and mental health and help people notice, value and care for the green spaces around them. In towns and cities, where nature can feel harder to access, trees can play a simple but powerful role in rebuilding that connection.

What is the Nature Connectedness Index (NCI)?

The Nature Connectedness Index is a way of measuring how connected someone feels to nature. Rather than simply asking how often someone visits a green space, park or woodland, it looks at feelings, attitudes and relationships with the natural world.

At Trees for Cities, we use the NCI to understand whether planting and maintenance days help volunteers feel closer to nature. Volunteers respond to statements about things like feeling part of nature, noticing its beauty and treating it with respect.

Even though many people who join our events already feel connected to nature, our data shows they often leave feeling even more connected than when they arrived.

On average, adult volunteers’ NCI scores rose from 69 before an event to 74 afterwards, out of a maximum score of 100 (sample of 639-907 adult respondents).

Measuring nature connectedness visually

The Illustrated Inclusion of Nature in Self (IINS) Scale is another way we measure nature connection. Instead of using statements, it asks people to choose from a series of diagrams showing “self” and “nature” as more or less overlapping. The closer the overlap, the more someone sees themselves as part of the natural world.

We use an adapted version of the IINS Scale with volunteers and children because it makes an emotional idea easier to express — especially for younger participants.

By asking the same question before and after an event, we can see whether taking part has changed how connected people feel to nature. In the 2025/26 planting season, 100% of children reported feeling either partially or fully connected to nature after one of our events, compared to 82% beforehand (sample of 25-38 survey respondents).

How trees help people connect with nature

Trees make nature visible in everyday life. They change with the seasons, support wildlife and biodiversity, cool streets, clean air and give people a reason to pause. A young tree on a school playground, a fruit tree in a community orchard or a newly planted street tree can become a local landmark that people notice and care for.

This is where urban tree planting becomes more than environmental action. It can also be a moment of connection: hands in soil, conversations with neighbours, children spotting worms, or volunteers returning to see how a tree is growing.

How to build your own nature connection

You don’t need to travel far to feel closer to nature. Start with a tree you pass often. Notice its bark, leaves, flowers, shade or the wildlife it supports. As a simple act of mindfulness and self-care, visit it and take photographs in different seasons.

If you can, volunteer at a planting or maintenance day, donate, or help care for a young local street tree. For stress relief and a gentle way to slow down and notice urban nature, read our beginner’s guide to urban forest bathing. Small everyday connections can grow into long-term care for the natural world around us.