We live in an age of climate emergency and eco-anxiety. This is, after all, the Anthropocene – a geological period defined by the bootprint of humans on Earth. Bearing witness to our place in the world is critical now more than ever but writing about nature during an eco-crisis without implying utter despair is a challenging feat.
Since 2009, I have taught a Masters in wild writing that explores literature, landscape and the environment. Students are encouraged to find their own path – creative and critical – into the ways we as humans engage with the natural world, the places we inhabit and the creatures we share the Earth with. Field trips – the outdoor classroom – are a central part of the practice of study. We are of nature, we remind ourselves – never separate, never apart, not even in the square construct of the seminar room. To exist as a human is to be in nature. Nature is not somewhere we step in and out of. That is a vital truth.
