I am a recent graduate from the University of Oxford, where my research focused on the ecological outcomes of English biodiversity policy. Inspired by personal experience, my Fellowship aims to make natural spaces more accessible and appealing to underrepresented demographics in the UK.

Spending time in nature is often associated with activities like birdwatching and many people are only exposed to wildlife within an educational context. Appreciating nature can seem restricted to typically rural, older and middle-class individuals, excluding a large sector of the population who may consequently place less value on biodiversity. I will be exploring how diverse ages and demographics engage with nature in Japan, through events which appeal to aesthetic and moral values in an increasingly secular culture.

I currently volunteer with several UK conservation organisations and work with practitioners at the University of Oxford. I hope my research will help inform how non-governmental organisations and local governments encourage the public to get outdoors, developing novel events and advertising strategies to make natural spaces appeal to a wider audience.