Does nature really have a diversity problem?

Does nature really have a diversity problem?

There are no “Whites Only” signs at trailheads, no separate restrooms, no permits issued based on color—so why does nature have a diversity problem?

My younger sister watches the arctic reindeer roam on my screen. She smiles as you nibble on a basket full of grain. Then she takes double.

"Wait. Is that you?" she asks. "Yes, of course." “You look like a farm girl!” she says in a tone somewhere between amusement and contempt. “Where is your long coat?” “I was in the Arctic,” I say. “I didn’t want to wear a flowy coat from Zara.”

She tosses the phone aside, confused as to why I would choose comfort over style 350km north of the Arctic Circle.

But I can't blame her. Five years ago I felt the same way. On a trip to Iceland in 2010, I wore Uggs instead of hiking boots and a coat that wasn't waterproof, let alone windproof.

alt="Outdoor Diversity">

In fact, the only reason I'm feeling better today is because I met a boy who loves camping - or should I say, a white boy who loves camping.

His color is relevant because if I, an Asian girl, had met an Asian boy or black boy instead, I may never have become as outdoorsy as I am today. Why? Because apparently nature has a diversity problem.

In the United States, 20% of national park visitors are ethnic minorities, compared to nearly 40% of the general population, according to the National Park Service (NPS).

In England, only 1% of national park visitors come from ethnic minorities (Natural England) compared to 14% of the general population (Office of National Statistics).

This inequality is repeated across a number of nations and has raised the question: Does nature have a diversity problem?

Outside, the popular magazine for outdoor enthusiasts, recently interviewed Ambreen Tariq, who runs @brownpeoplecamping, an Instagram account that aims to "make people rethink what it means to be outside."

Ambreen's interview in the magazine is titled To Diversify the Outdoors, We Must to Think About Who We're Exclusion, and uses excerpts from her Instagram posts in which she argues, "Our public lands should be more inclusive and reflect the diverse population and history of our country."

This led me - a brown, nature-loving girl - to question whether we were really being excluded.

Does nature exclude ethnic minorities?

This question seems deliberately provocative. Finally, there are no rules or regulations keeping ethnic minorities off the trails. There are no “Whites Only” signs looming over trailheads, no separate restrooms, no permits issued based on color.

alt="Outdoor Diversity">

There is no “whites only” vibe in nature, so what keeps minorities away? (Image: Center for American History, UT-Austin; Fair Use)

Outdoors, you are only limited by your abilities. Given the collegial attitude of most hikers, climbers, etc., nature is surely one of the few places where color doesn't play a role?

I am a brown woman from a Muslim family and have never felt uncomfortable outdoors. I can't help but wonder whether the fight for diversity would be better aimed at increasing representation in Parliament, closing the pay gap, improving social mobility and ensuring better education.

That being said, it is very easy to claim that there is no exclusion when you feel included yourself, so it is important to examine this topic in more detail.

In 2008 to 2009, the NPS asked non-park visitors whether they agreed with a variety of reasons why they did not visit NPS units more frequently.

The main reasons given by ethnic minorities were:

• Bewusstsein: „Ich weiß einfach nicht so viel über NPS-Einheiten“
• Zugriff: „Es dauert zu lange, von zu Hause aus zu einer NPS-Einheit zu gelangen“
• Kosten: „Die Hotel- und Verpflegungskosten in NPS-Einheiten sind zu hoch“

Incidentally, these reasons are also mentioned most frequently by white respondents. This indicates that these are general problems and not specific to ethnic minorities. By looking at the biggest differences, we gain more useful insights.

Significantly, the largest gap is for “I prefer to spend my free time doing electronic activities,” with 17% of white respondents agreeing with this statement, compared to more than twice as many (38%) of non-white respondents. No exclusion so far – but a look further down the list reveals some interesting insights.

• Erfahrung: „NPS-Einheiten sind für mich unangenehme Orte“ (5 % Weiße vs. 17 % Nicht-Weiße)
• Service: „NPS-Mitarbeiter bieten Besuchern schlechten Service“ (5 % gegenüber 15 %)
• Sicherheit: „NPS-Einheiten sind keine sicheren Orte zum Besuchen“ (5 % gegenüber 13 %)

About three times as many ethnic minorities find NPS units unpleasant and unsafe with poor service compared to their white counterparts. Inequality is lower but still noticeable among those who visit parks (about twice as high as three times).

Given that there are no tangible barriers to engaging with nature, perhaps the question is not whether nature is exclusive but whether it is inclusive.

Does nature contain ethnic minorities?

The romantic outdoor view is of rolling hills and green paths; of breathtaking great walls and freshwater lakes; of introspection, loneliness and meaning.

It's all of those things, but it's also a multi-billion dollar industry with monolithic companies and sprawling marketing, press and PR teams. Do these giants of nature have minorities?

• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>

Homepages of all outdoor brands from pages 1 to 10 of the Men's Jackets range on Cotswold Outdoor (except for one homepage that did not contain any people). The only sign of diversity comes from United By Blue.

Perhaps we're in something of a stalemate: advertisers are targeting white people because they're outdoors more often — and white people are going outdoors more because they're the ones being served.

I set out to look for a broader perspective.

Hiren Joshi, a 35-year-old IT consultant from London, spends time kayaking, climbing and skiing. He tells me: "I don't know why people would say that [diversity is an issue] since all the activities I do are very inclusive and people are very open and friendly. In general, people are open and ethnicity doesn't seem to be an issue."

Hiren says he has never felt unwelcome in the outdoors: "It's a personal choice. There is nothing that would stop ethnic minorities from taking part in outdoor activities - even language is not a barrier in a sport. The people I met were very inclusive."

However, he admits there could be a problem with messaging: "If someone from an ethnic minority wants to get involved, there's nothing to stop them. Maybe that message doesn't get out as far as it should."

Sami Rahman, a 29-year-old writer from London, points out that the problem lies within: "There are no Asian role models to encourage us, especially for women. From the moment we enter school, we are taught to be good at math and science. Children who are good at sports or sports are perceived as 'stupid'."

“I’ve never heard of an Asian family going camping, and that’s because most weren’t raised to do it.”

She adds: "It's more of a community issue. There are swimming and aerobics classes for Asian women, but nothing that encourages us to go out more. I've never heard of an Asian family going camping and that's because most weren't raised to do so."

Sami believes the responsibility lies with ethnic communities themselves, but also that more could be done to encourage engagement. Asked whether the outdoor industry should do more to include ethnic minorities, she says: "Yes, definitely. [Representatives] could visit schools where there is a high concentration of ethnic minorities such as Tower Hamlets. Community groups could organize camping or outdoor trips to encourage families to take their children."

It seems that the outdoor industry could do more to improve diversity, but is this a sensible initiative given that a significant proportion of ethnic minorities would prefer to spend their free time on “electronic activities”?

Is diversity in nature even important?

Is diversity in nature even important? It's a leisure activity, so isn't it a bit like being upset that not enough blacks and Asians are collecting stamps or spotting trains?

Well, not exactly.

First, nature is good for you. It promotes mental health, physical health, well-being and development. Failing to bring large populations into nature “because they don’t want to” is like failing to include them in smoke-free initiatives or physical activity campaigns and healthy eating initiatives because they “don’t want to.”

I'm not a fan of the nanny state, but when something is so clearly and thoroughly beneficial, then those benefits should be promoted to everyone.

alt="long-distance hiking trails-new zealand">Dreamtime

Study after study has shown that engaging with nature promotes mental and physical health, well-being and development

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, nurturing nature helps instill a sense of ownership, pride and responsibility. We need to cultivate future stewards of nature, and the more people we engage, the better for our national parks, especially as the general population diversifies.

On a more economic level, many national parks rely on public money, political support and community engagement for funding. Failure to get involved endangers the future of our national parks.

How can we improve diversity in nature?

There are several ways the outdoor community (i.e. outdoor brands, national bodies, educational organizations) can improve diversity in the outdoors.

Awareness: Conduct advertising and educational campaigns in media outlets that serve diverse ethnic communities. Develop outreach programs in areas with high concentrations of ethnic minorities.

Outdoor enthusiasts from ethnic minority communities, like Ambreen Tariq, could share their own aspirations to encourage others to follow their example.

Diversify representation: Use models of ethnic minority communities in advertising and marketing materials. Sponsor role models from a variety of backgrounds.

Subsidize Transportation: Work with environmental groups, school districts, community-based organizations, and local governments to provide transportation assistance to those who cannot access parks on their own.

Create a connection: Focus not just on foot traffic, but on creating a meaningful connection with the outside world. Highlight historical contributions of ethnic minorities in park presentations to gain genuine buy-in from visitors.

These initiatives provide benefits not only to ethnic minorities, but also to the great outdoors itself in all its magnificent but vulnerable glory. Only by including a diverse range of people can we protect the future of nature in our increasingly diverse population.

We hope to see you out there.

old=““>

Additional photography: Dreamstime

      .