ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at how cultural diversity influences children's ways of interacting with the natural world and their experiences. It begins by looking at different viewpoints, focusing on three main themes; the first is relationships with nature at the national level, usually as an embodiment of a sense of nationhood, but also reflective of religious and cultural beliefs. Second is an exploration of how children's sense of identity and belonging, associated cultural and social practices and levels of ability/disability affect relationships with nature. For some children, as with indigenous children, the challenges of urban life can be particularly stark. The third is nature as 'avoidance' or nature as 'threat'. The chapter identifies some of the myriad ways children can experience nature based on their different backgrounds. It explores how this difference can help explain both the difficulties children may confront in their nature relationships but also how to support diverse ways of being in nature.
