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Conservation

Why conservation needs autistic ways of sensing nature

Nature Reviews Biodiversity (2026)Cite this article

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As a researcher interested in how varied human experiences shape environmental engagement, I have long wondered why the voices of disabled or neurodivergent individuals are seldom heard in conservation science. When I first read Friedman and colleagues’ study on how autistic adults define and experience connection to nature, I felt something shift in my thinking about conservation. Long-held assumptions were challenged, which changed how I think about human connections to biodiversity.

Friedman et al. surveyed 108 autistic adults in the UK, to explore their definitions and experiences of connecting with nature. Many participants described profound relationships with the natural world that extended beyond simply enjoying time outdoors. Some reported experiencing nature through heightened sensory awareness. One participant shared: “I can hear insects and electricity. I can feel vibrations in the ground, I can smell the weather in the air.” Another spoke of “experiencing the environment in a multi-sensory way and feeling that it is communicating with me.” These testimonies imply that the unique sensory processing of autistic individuals might contribute to forms of ecological perception that conservation science has not yet considered. If some people can detect environmental signals that others might miss, their observations could offer valuable information about ecosystem health and biodiversity patterns.

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References

Original article

  • Friedman, S., McHaffie, S., Noble, R. & Stenning, A. ’A deep, empathetic, wondrous connection’: autistic adults’ definitions and experiences of nature connection. People Nat. 7, 504–515 (2024)

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  • Schmidt, J. Cripping environmental education: rethinking disability, nature, and interdependent futures. Aust. J. Environ. Educ. 39, 251–268 (2023)

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  • Beery, T. et al. Disconnection from nature: expanding our understanding of human-nature relations. People Nat. 5, 470–488 (2023)

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Acknowledgements

This work acknowledges the perspectives and experiences of people with disabilities, which hold great value for our collective understanding of the world. Their insights inspire and inform this call for inclusion in biodiversity and conservation.

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  1. Department of Management and Organization, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines

    Adrian A. Mabalay

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  1. Adrian A. Mabalay
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Correspondence to Adrian A. Mabalay.

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The author declares no competing interests.

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Mabalay, A.A. Why conservation needs autistic ways of sensing nature. Nat. Rev. Biodivers. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44358-026-00148-y

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