The Nature Relationship Spectrum

The Nature Relationship Spectrum invites us to re-member that we were never separate from nature, and explore how our relationship might shift from resource to reciprocity.

Read the six stages, find where you are now, and consider where you want your relationship with nature to move.

Where are you on the spectrum today?

  • image for spider eating eggs. Text says nature is a resource

    Nature is a Resource

    Nature is something I own, use, or benefit from. The living world exists primarily to support human needs, progress, and comfort.

    The impacts of extraction and consumption feel distant, external, or someone else’s problem.

    (Before relationship begins)

  • image of an egg that says distant relationship

    Nature is a Distant Relationship

    I know nature matters, but it still feels separate from my everyday life. I appreciate and care about the natural world from a distance, often through ideas, experiences, or moments of connection.

    My concern is real, but it rarely changes the way I live.

    (Like a distant cousin)

  • showing the text awakened relationship and a larva

    Nature is an Awakened Relationship

    I recognise that I am not separate from nature — I am part of it. I begin noticing the impact of my choices and taking responsibility for my relationship with the living world.

    Care moves from intention into action.

    (Like an extended family member)

  • Text says reciprocal relationship. image of a cocoon

    Nature is a Reciprocal Relationship

    I understand nature as a relationship of mutual exchange, not a resource to manage. I receive, and I give back. I listen, care, and consider the needs of more-than-human life.

    My choices are shaped by a sense of responsibility, empathy, and reciprocity.

    (Like a sibling or close friend)

  • image of a moth. and the text committed relationship

    Nature is a Committed Relationship

    The wellbeing of the living world becomes a priority, not an afterthought. I make choices that protect, restore, and regenerate — even when it requires sacrifice, discomfort, or change.

    My relationship with nature shapes my values, actions, and way of being.

    (Like immediate family)

  • embodied relationship text with a month laying eggs.

    Nature is an Embodied Relationship

    Nature is no longer something I relate to — it is something I am part of. Care, reciprocity, and regeneration are instinctive ways of moving through the world.

    The wellbeing of the Earth is inseparable from my own wellbeing.

    (An embodied relationship)

About the tool

We often talk about nature as something “out there”, a resource to use, protect, or manage. But what if our relationship with nature is something much more intimate? What if we stopped seeing ourselves as separate from the living world and began to recognize ourselves as part of it?

The Nature Relationship Spectrum invites us to shift our relationship with nature by reflecting on where we are today and where we might wish to move tomorrow. From seeing nature as a resource, to experiencing a relationship rooted in care, reciprocity, and interdependence.

It’s not a scale to complete or a place to arrive. It’s a way to notice how our relationship might shift over time.

We were never separate. Maybe we just have to re-member?

How it works

Read through the six stages and notice which one feels most familiar to you right now. You might find yourself between stages, or in different places depending on the context.

Then ask yourself: Where do I want my relationship with nature to move?

Use the stages as prompts for reflection, rather than a measure of how “good” your relationship with nature is.

Return to the tool over time. Our relationships change as we pay attention, learn, and practice new ways of relating.