Background and Rationale

Cities are often portrayed as concrete jungles, lacking meaningful ecological value.

However, this narrative erases the presence of resilient life forms that adapt, thrive, and

coexist within urban landscapes. From native shrubs growing in sidewalk cracks to

migratory birds in polluted wetlands, nature persists in cities—often unnoticed and

underappreciated.

Yet, access to nature-based learning, ecological knowledge, and conservation opportunities

is unequally distributed. Children, informal workers, migrants, and low-income

communities are frequently excluded from environmental discourses and educational

programs. Urban Nature Matters emerges in response to this twin problem: the ecological

invisibilization of cities and the social inaccessibility of nature.

Objectives

- To make urban biodiversity visible, valued, and understood.

- To engage youth and marginalized communities through field walks, storytelling, and

workshops.

- To advocate for equitable, community-based urban conservation.