geography, green education, and getting the message out there
Kate stockings'
Ranger Story
Kate Stockings is based in Camden. She has been a Ranger since 2020. Kate is passionate about providing wide-ranging and inspiring nature-focused opportunities for students beyond the classroom – especially young people who often don’t have the confidence to explore their own city. By day, she is the Trust Lead for Geography at Future Academies.
Q1
what inspired you to become a ranger?
I was lucky enough to be one of the inaugural Rangers when the programme first launched. I’d been following Dan Raven-Ellison’s work for quite a while (given his background as a geography teacher) and was inspired by the way he reimagined urban life. When I saw that London National Park City was seeking Rangers from all walks of life and professional backgrounds, I was immediately drawn in.
Although I wasn’t offering a practical, hands-on skill set, I realised my work in education – particularly in teaching geography – had strong parallels. I saw a real opportunity to combine my love of education with my interest in nature and the outdoors, especially within and around London, where I’ve always taught. It felt like a natural and meaningful way to bring those worlds together.
Q2
How are you making London greener, healthier, and wilder?
It’s something I try to do in my own life, but I think my main impact as a Ranger comes through my role as a geography teacher. I’m deeply passionate about the subject, and do what I can to promote geography more broadly. In geography, we talk a lot – both directly and indirectly – about what it means to make urban areas greener, wilder, and healthier.
Urban sustainability is the idea most explicitly discussed in the curriculum but this increasingly incorporates themes of health and wildness. By embedding these ideas into lessons, I aim to instil a sense of importance in my students around urban nature, green spaces, and the future of our city.
Q3
What do you think has the single most positive impact of the environmental initiatives you’ve been part of?
One standout moment was during the pandemic. As everything shifted to remote learning, a small group of us quickly produced simple videos and resources about London National Park City, which we then shared with schools. It was a grassroots effort, but definitely had an impact on those we were teaching.
With many teenagers reluctant – or even fearful – to go outside, especially in some communities, the videos encouraged them to engage with their local parks safely and meaningfully. At a time when the rules allowed just one daily walk, it felt powerful to say, “You’re allowed. You should go. There’s value in this.” These messages, delivered under the LNPC banner, helped show that nature isn’t something distant – it’s right there, on your doorstep. I was proud that we could support young people in rediscovering those spaces during such a difficult time.
Q4
What have you gained from being part of the LNPC Community?
I’ve gained a much greater awareness and appreciation for the scale and diversity of environmental projects happening across London. It’s shown me how efforts to make the city greener, wilder, and healthier often begin on a really small, local scale – something as simple as a tiny green patch at the end of the street or a copse. Before, I used to think more in terms of large-scale green spaces like Hampstead Heath or Regents Park, but being part of this community has taught me to look closer.
I now seek out books and resources I wouldn’t have considered before and take more notice of the everyday wildness all around me. Some favourite reads include ‘Look Here’ by Ana Kinsella which is an ode to walking around London and noticing things in the urban environment and ‘Letters to the Earth’ which is a collection of letters inviting us to take action with regards to the planetary crisis. Being part of this community has changed my perspective, helped me engage more deeply with urban nature, and reinforced how valuable these small pockets of green can be.
Q5
Describe your proudest moment as a ranger
Being selected as a Ranger! In my decade as a geography teacher I’ve always sought out opportunities and experiences to be involved in projects and this was one that I couldn’t pass up. I’m really proud to be involved in the movement and to help champion the fantastic work taking place within London. As you’ll read below, we’re now working on some really exciting education resources and I’m looking forward to seeing what impact they can have in 2025 and beyond.
Q6
Describe your most challenging moment as a Ranger and how you overcame it
The biggest challenge has been figuring out how to meaningfully participate as someone working full time in education. A lot of LNPC activities are hyper-local and happen during the day, which can make direct involvement tricky. I had to ask myself, “What can I offer within the constraints of my own life?” Over time, I realised that being involved doesn’t need to look the same for everyone. For me, it’s about using my role in schools to spread the message – bringing the values of the movement into the classroom and supporting resource development. That shift in mindset helped me stay engaged in a way that works for my circumstances.
Q7
What’s next for you as a ranger?
I was thrilled to receive funding through one of LNPC’s Small Grants Programme. We’re using it to create teaching resources about the movement – materials that tie into key geography topics like urban greening, climate resilience, flood management, and adaptation. These will feature real-life case studies of London-based projects and will be designed to slot easily into the KS3, KS4 and KS5 curriculum.
The idea is to equip teachers with up-to-date, engaging content they can use in their lesson the next day, week or month. It’s an exciting opportunity to amplify the work of LNPC through schools and ensure students are learning about these crucial issues through a local lens.
Q8
What continues to motivate you on your Ranger journey?
It’s the knowledge that we’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to involving young people. Schools are filled with young people learning about environmental issues yet, often, these lessons can ignore projects happening right outside their school gates.
Geography teachers can sometimes be guilty of prioritising the global over the local and forgetting to teach students about their local area and what’s happening to tackle environmental challenges on their doorstep. If we’re going to leave young people feeling empowered to make a difference and help achieve change, this is so important.
There’s so much potential here – not to push an agenda, but to give them the facts and spark curiosity. Once they know what’s out there, they can choose to get involved in whatever way feels right for them. That idea of giving young people access to knowledge and empowering them to take the next step – that’s what is really important to me.
Q9
What has been your most memorable encounter with nature in London?
It’s not a dramatic moment but a personal realisation. I do a lot of running, and for a long time I’d always take headphones – thinking I needed to multitask, to make the time “productive” by listening to podcasts or the news at the same time as exercising. But a few years ago, I had a shift in mindset. I recognised that part of the reason I run is for my mental health and that the benefit comes from being present in nature. Since then, I’ve left the headphones at home and allowed myself to properly take in my surroundings.
Running through local green spaces but also further afield in Epping Forest or Richmond Park has become a form of mindfulness. That simple switch has deepened my connection to nature and made my time outdoors far more meaningful.
Q10
How can we encourage more people to ‘Do London Differently’?
I think many of us fall into the trap of thinking we always need to be doing something “useful” with our time, even when we’re outdoors.
I think we need to do more to help people recognise that there’s real value in going outside just for the sake of it – not to complete a task or achieve something specific, but to enjoy being in the moment. We should be encouraging people to slow down, to be present, and to experience the natural world in its own right.
My top tip for doing that is to inspire yourself by finding a new green space to explore. Open a map, select a green space and go and see what’s there. That’s how we start to Do London Differently.
Q11
It’s 2029…as a community, what do you hope LNPC would have achieved by our 10th anniversary? And what might London look like as a result?
By 2029, I’d love for us to have made progress on thinking about how our urban green spaces are used. In many parts of London I don’t think we lack green space, necessarily, but we do need to think more carefully about how it’s used to meet the needs of all. How do we allow runners, walkers, bird watchers, young children playing and people seeking a quiet moment of reflection to use an open space together and without being in conflict?
In an ideal future, our green spaces would be more varied in function, shared by different users in ways that feel harmonious rather than conflicting. The vision is for a city where green space is for everyone – welcoming, multifunctional, and fully embedded in the fabric of daily life.
Learn more about the work that Kate is doing on Twitter @kate_stockings and her own blog www.katestockings.com. Kate also features in the latest London National Park City Paper 12 ways to connect people & nature in London. Get your copy here.
Read more Ranger Stories here.
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Together, we can make London greener, healthier, and wilder..
