Source: NZ Department of Conservation
You’ve heard of hiking. You’ve heard of recycling. You’ve heard of eating hot chips at the beach while a seagull judges your life choices. But have you heard of naturing?
No, it’s not a typo. And no, it’s not some new wellness trend involving forest smoothies and crying in a fern. Naturing is a real word (we Googled it and everything) and it’s the word we’re using to describe something genuinely awesome.
Wait, naturing? Is that like… gardening?
Close! But not quite.
Naturing is what happens when people do stuff that connects them to the outdoors and, importantly, makes them more likely to help protect it.
You might already be naturing and not even know it. Ever stopped to admire the stars? Fed your kids a piece of fun nature trivia at dinner? Picked up someone else’s rogue takeaway cup on the beach? Then congrats. You, my friend, are already naturing.
You don’t need hiking boots, binoculars, or a PhD in freshwater ecology to be naturing. You just need curiosity, a bit of care, and a willingness to connect with the living world outside your front door.
Okay but… does naturing mean being naked?
Excellent question. No.
Despite the suspiciously nude-sounding name, naturing does not require you to remove your clothing (unless you really want to and are somewhere it’s legal and non-concerning to the neighbours). Naturing is about connecting with nature, not confusing the ducks .
So, please keep your pants on metaphorically and literally. But by all means, feel free to take your shoes off on the grass. That kind of barefoot rebellion is 100% naturing-approved.
So why does naturing matter?
Because nature needs us and, spoiler alert, we need it too.
We’re living in a time when our environment is under pressure. Climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, you name it. But the more people connect with nature, the more likely they are to protect it. That’s science. Real science. White-coat, peer-reviewed, nature-nerd science.
So whether you’re planting a tree, joining a local restoration group, or simply pausing to watch pīwakawaka do backflips in your backyard; those moments matter. They build a relationship with nature. And relationships are where the good stuff starts.
Okay cool, but what does naturing actually look like?
Glad you asked. Naturing comes in many forms. Some obvious, some less so. It could be:
➜ Going for a bushwalk and learning the names of three native plants (bonus points if you say them out loud like a walking documentary).
➜ Tuning into a nature podcast while stuck in traffic, imagining yourself in the ngahere instead of on the motorway.
➜ Sharing a photo of a weird-looking bug on social media and not calling it gross.
➜ Teaching your tamariki not to stomp on mushrooms, because even fungi have feelings (kind of).
➜ Spending your lunch break cloud-gazing instead of doomscrolling.
➜ Refusing to let your dog chase birds at the beach, even when he looks at you like you’ve ruined his entire life.
➜ Picking up litter you didn’t drop and resisting the urge to mutter angrily while doing it. Or not. Mutters still count.
We’ll be sharing more naturing ideas on the blog, from the wild and wonderful to the small and every day. Because naturing isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing. It’s for the hikers and the hammock-readers. The surfers and the seed-planters. The mountain climbers and the slow-walkers-who-stop-to-talk-to-ducks.
So where do you come in?
You already have. If you’ve read this far, you’re probably halfway to naturing already. It’s all about helping more people recognise the nature they already love, and giving them more ways to show it a little love back.
So try something new. Tell your mates. Use the word “naturing” like it’s always been a thing (because now it is). And most of all, enjoy it. Nature’s good for you. Like really good. Science says so.
Now go forth and always be naturing.
We’ll be right there with you. (Clothed. Mostly.)
