How do we want to live in our modern urban and city environments?

Do we want to continue to be surrounded by fast moving vehicles? Including heavy e-bikes cutting through parks, where our vigilance is still required? Can you sense greater social and community connection? Or perhaps you know loneliness and insecurity too often prevail, with many people left alone ? Can we all find peace, purpose and place?

Are we conscious of things our high streets have lost? Awnings, plants and seating. Inspiring design, display ...Style. Practical considerations our ancestors made to benefit us - supporting confidence, engagement, rest and welfare. Options in changeable weather. Yes, shops and restaurants come and go, places gradually transform over time, but the question remains: are we making progress?

It may seem we're asking for a lot ~ To want to be safe, stay cool, relaxed and experience joy... But what are cities for if not people living well?

When spending time walking along tree lined streets, or enjoying peaceful squares rich in nature - we know we’re gaining benefits and appreciate it. Hearing the birds, noticing insects or the infinite details of plants and canopy; dappled light; fresh air and flowers. Plus laughter, chatter and friendly social interactions.

There is something that unites citizens wanting to live together in harmony. Along with great urban planning, buildings - places to be. If the rooms are only half of what you think of as home, the other half could likely be Gardens...Being outside.

If the monotonous trudge of cutlery being repeatedly stacked in a cafe is grating your nerves - the quickest way to re calibrate and support the parasympathetic nervous system, is often 'a good breather' (e.g. a walking break outside)...In the nearest park or green space. Weather permitting, it's the place to be. Writing, talking, or tapping back into serenity. (Provided you have effective hayfever prevention strategies - making time for natural wellbeing. )

In built, urban environments, quaility nature integration arises with care and consideration. How can we better plan and design for our wellbeing and our diversifying society? One that faces profoundly impactful climate change with unknown consequenses. Can we create, protect and nurture places that support us? Are local authorities enabling communitiy cohesion, offering opportunities to help shape spaces that bring genuine 'pride of place'?

Care for the community

Community engagement for the planning process exists. But can easily be missed.

Asking people what they value most and really want is key. A complex mix of factors, logistics and processes that make lasting change successful. Essentially it's about awareness of intimate, specific, and those very broad needs. Hopes. Ideas. When the invitation to take part in 'shaping' is there - are we informed and confident our voices will be heard? Emboldened to make it happen ? Our future selves thrive in the places we relate to, celebrate, and are proud to call our own.

Well worn paths can consistently work, plus, when they're combined with new ideas and divergent thinking a true blossoming occurs. An accessible, beautiful park serves all when it's facilities are open and well maintained. When it's growing emphasis on biodiversity overlaps with visitor wellbeing, safety and regular satisfaction. Adapting to change in good time helps us feel, and be, more secure.

What about these ‘edible cities’? They sound exciting! Increasing food security, biodiversity and interaction with our living world. It's more than possible to achieve steady progress with commitment + engagement ~ Growing deeper awareness.

Urban planners

Have mostly strived, and increasingly so in recent years, to prioritise our wellbeing. Seating is provided (sometimes with varying degrees of success - ergonomics could improve this example), but now we must respond to more extreme weather and other climate changes. Making necessary Adaptations - as part of deeply informed steps towards safer places ~ Do we know enough about what this looks like? About the challenges and solutions?

Do we prioritise preparation and prevention? Or do harmful incidents, near misses and serious problems lead to reaction and regret - then results? We must do better.

What are the next steps as we prepare ourselves and environments for worse floods, higher winds and hotter heatwaves?

Adaptation?

Perhaps you’ve experienced developments that inspire confidence? Found yourself in a place that feels well adjusted to harsher conditions, providing adequate shelter from the elements?

Climate related issues impact health and our survival. Adapting now helps prevent injury and harm; better management of displacement; avoiding new vector born diseases and reducing respiratory conditions. There's lots to be done. Supporting mental health with it’s broadening challenges; preparing greater food security… Crucially ~ How can we do all this in a more timely manner? With greater funding, capacity, innovation? Can we create and find the sweet spots that overlap - where both 'future proofing' and immediate improvements appear in good time? It's possible with joined up thinking. Innovation, and learning from other countries.

Urban environments ~ Natural wellbeing

So the nature city has become the healthiest way to live in harmoney within the urban metropolis. Stepping out of the 'boxes' into the gardens. Communing with wildlife, respecting the pollinators, valuing the effort millions of creatures provide.

Trees and awnings shade plazas, and flowing fountains or cooling riverside locations, regulate the temperature. Well adapted places embrace both old and new methods, technologies and globally informed design ideas. Natural ventilation and air purification. Flood resistant paving and rainwater collection. Heat monitoring and early warning systems…And an expanding abundance of nature based solutions...We are nature. We breath, eat and grow from it. Now we're improving our relationship and awareness of it again - the reintegration of natural environments helps us feel 'happier, stronger, calmer'. Keeping us well.

Better public spaces

Our cities are all about us, how we use buildings, paths, spaces… Infrastructure supports living well. The nature city can weave much of this together.

The natural balance

Where we can more easily reconnect, feet on the ground,  in lunch breaks or walks… in the afternoon, how we can find ourselves again in the fresh air, cool breeze and the sunlight. We’d like to spend increasing amounts of time outdoors in the warmer weather - a present and near future, through love and desire of that abundance of goodness.

Does it feel like progress?

More often we’re seeing nature flourishing alongside urban living. But in other areas - it’s absence is felt more uncomfortably than ever. Or we hurry through tightly packed streets of modern high-rise, crammed onto high cost land…desperate to get to the Plaza, Gardens and Green Spaces. Where people gather as they always have - to unwind, look at each other, enjoying the variety of connections and to our own nature. Loving, kind, social beings - fascinated, diverse - billions of thoughts and ideas colliding …in poetry, in motion, in nature…

our nature. Let's help make sure it connects with all of us.

About the author ~ Justin Eade has been facilitating wellbeing initiatives that help build resilience for almost two decades. His experience with health, safety and climate adaptation strategies bring unique opportunities for effective and holistic change. Please get in touch to book a free one to one session and explore dynamic approaches to climate ready thinking for empowered communities.