Why “Stories of Coexistence”?

In The Unofficial Countryside, Richard Mabey describes the way in which wildlife lives alongside humans in urban areas as a “story of co-existence”. Over the last 12 years I’ve been learning more about some of that story through my role as a conservation volunteer, helping to care for some of London’s wilder places. I’m learning too that there are in fact many different stories of co-existence which need to be told.

Conservation volunteering has completely transformed my relationship with the natural world. It has become a hugely part of my own life and I believe it also had a key role to play in tackling the ecological and climate emergency and yet it is a topic that is rarely in covered in nature writing. In Stories of Coexistence I’ll be sharing some of what I’ve learnt from my volunteering, highlighting the importance of protecting “everyday nature” and discussing some of the threats it faces. My writing is informed by my professional work in environmental policy as well as my volunteering experiences, but the views are all my own.   

Why subscribe?

If you subscribe to Stories of Coexistence, you’ll receive each post I publish directly in your inbox so you’ll never miss an update. You’ll also become part of a community of people who share an interest in conservation volunteering and urban wildlife.