Recovering what? Reversing personal and institutional shifting baseline syndromes to enable nature recovery in UK National Parks

Globally, nations have committed to restoring nature at scale by 2030 and envisioning a future where “people live in harmony with nature” by 2050.

Protected areas have thus been framed as a critical tool in addressing the biodiversity crisis. Yet the institutional frameworks that established protected areas may pose a significant barrier to achieving nature recovery.

In this article, we use the UK as a case study to demonstrate that Shifting Baseline Syndrome (SBS) - the gradual acceptance of ecological degradation - is a significant barrier to nature recovery. We explore two forms of SBS: personal (PSBS) and institutional (ISBS). Drawing on case studies from the UK and beyond, we identify issues around ‘experiences of nature’ and ‘knowledge of nature’ in UK National Parks (NP). Building on these insights, we propose a policy pathway that reimagines NPs as dynamic, biodiverse landscapes capable of fostering coexistence between human and non-human communities.

Achieving this vision requires a fundamental rethinking of NP purposes and duties, enabling more place-sensitive policies and practices within Britain’s most treasured natural spaces.

Key themes

shifting baseline syndrome; generational amnesia; nature connectedness; nature recovery; biodiversity; national parks; rewilding; protected areas

Dr Anna Gilchrist is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Management and Ecology whose research spans the natural and social sciences, focusing on the interactions between people and nature and their influence on ecological processes at the landscape scale. Her work explores how human activities impact biodiversity and the ecological and social responses these impacts demand. Anna’s recent research centres on transformative conservation approaches, particularly rewilding and nature recovery, including the challenges and opportunities of applying these methods in cultural landscapes.

Dr Joe Glentworth is a Lecturer in Nature Recovery, Restoration and Rewilding at the University of Manchester. Prior to this, he was a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University. His research focuses on the social and ecological dimensions of conservation, ecological restoration and rewilding. He holds a PhD on the socio-cultural dimensions of upland rewilding. Before entering academia, Joe worked in protected area management and led landscape-scale nature recovery initiatives.

Dr Ian Thornhill is a Senior Lecturer in Planning and Environmental Management at the University of Manchester. He previously completed a PhD in water quality, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in wetlands at the University of Birmingham. He has worked as an environmental consultant, ecology advisor in local government, and in the charitable sector. Ian’s research focuses on community ecology and ecosystem functioning, citizen science, corporate engagement, and soundscapes; all with a view to boosting biodiversity and increasing people's connection to it.