ESEA Outdoors Resources & Press

Resources

Foundations on equity of access to the outdoors in the UK. Work that has inspired us, written by our friends, colleagues and community members. An ESEA Outdoors manifesto.

About ESEA Outdoors

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1. What is access?
2. Why do we need access?
3. What can you do?
4. ESEA explainers
5. Other inspirational articles

What is the multifacetedness of access?

• Diversity and representation. Wang, “East & Southeast Asian people go outdoors too”, BMC, Mar 2024.
• Clothing and representation. Mary-Ann Ochota, “Hiking is for everyone – but only if you’re the right fit”, TGO, Feb 2023.
• Access and othering. Anita Kerwin-Nye, “Why I am no longer talking about behaviour”, Substack, Aug 2023.
• Sport underrepresentation. Phil Young, “Skin deep: why the outdoors has a race problem and how it can be fixed”, Mpora, Apr 2020.
• People of colour and barriers. CPRE, “Access to nature in the English countryside”, Aug 2021.
• Safe spaces and walking. Black Girls Hike & Steppers UK, “How two walking groups have led the way when it comes to diversifying the outdoors”, Mpora, Jan 2021.
• Paths and inequity. Ramblers & NEF, “Who has a public right of way?”, Nov 2022.
• A history of land access. Eben Myrddin Muse, “Right to Roam - an idea whose time has come”, Feb 2024.
• Systemic issues. Jasmine Isa Qureshi, “What is the conservation industry doing to address its lack of diversity?”, Discover Wildlife, Apr 2022.
• Transport and experience. Ingrina Shieh, “Transport troubles, limited freedom to roam and knowing where to go: the many barriers to accessing Great British walking”, Slow Ways, Aug 2023.
• Leadership in mountaineering. “Trailblazer hopes to become first black female winter mountain leader in the UK”, The Standard, Sept 2023.

Summary: a multifaceted equity of access

Why do we need equity of access?

• Access and outdoor sports. Wang, “Diversity in the Mountains at GL3D”, BMC Summit Mag, Jun 2024.
• Nature connection and equity of access. Nadia Shaikh, “Unpicking misanthropic nature conservation”, TGO, Apr 2024.
• Nature connection and equity of access. Wang, “Access to nature - but for whom?”, Oct 2024.
• Belonging and fell-running. Charmaine Sew, “SCARPA Great Lakeland 3 Day”, Substack, Jul 2024.
• Diversity in the environment sector. SOS-UK, “The RACE Report”, Feb 2024
• Privilege and National Parks. Eben Myrddin Muse, “Commodification of the countryside”, Campaign for National Parks Viewpoint mag, Oct 2024.

What can you do?

• Learn: educate yourself by reading and sharing the resources listed on this page, and reflect on your allyship as an individual, institution or club.
• Learn: inclusive writing and media. Mary-Ann Ochota, “Writing inclusion into the outdoors”, Sep 2024.
• Reflect on your privilege as an individual and as an organisation. James de Mierre, “Accessibility and Privilege in the Environmental Sector”, Green Jobs for Nature, Jul 2024.
• Connect: listen to, support and fund leaders in our community. Check out All The Elements directory and other friends:
  • YHA Outdoors Citizens.
  • Lake District Foundation.
  • Every Body Outdoors.
  • ClimbMuz.
  • Black Trail Runners.
  • Steppers UK.
  • Opening Up The Outdoors.
  • Roots of Belonging.
• Act: Call out racism and be an ally. Racism Unmasked, “Combating ESEA racism: how to be an active bystander”, Mar 2021.

Brief explainers about ESEA issues

ESEA (pronounced “E-C”) stands for East & Southeast Asian.

• ESEA invisibility and erasure. Mai-Anh Peterson, “What’s in a name?”, besea.n, Sep 2020.
• ESEA racism and representation. besea.n, “Ethnic Disparities and Inequality in the UK among ESEA communities”, Jan 2021.
• ESEA joy. besea.n, “But where are you from?”, Apple/Spotify.

Other inspirations 💛

• Urban community and nature. Ingrina Shieh, “Walking on London’s wild side”, London National Park City, Aug 2024.
• Colonialism, conservation, history. Aileen Angsutorn Lees, “Decolonising conservation in the UK”, Jun 2024.
• Paths and data. Wang, “Mapping lost rights of way”, Aug 2022.
• Diversity and community. Miranda Larbi, “Diversifying the outdoors: meet the leaders of colour busy making hiking, trail running and biking more accessible for all”, Stylist, Jul 2023.

Press

• 18-06-2024 | BMC Summit magazine | Diversity in the Mountains at the Great Lakeland 3 Day (free to read)
• 21-03-2024 | BMC | East and Southeast Asian people go outdoors too

Speaking

• 23-11-2024 | Kendal Mountain Festival | The Human Powered Session - presented by Patagonia
• 12-07-2024 | Love Trails Festival | The Outsiders Project: diversity in the outdoors with Phil Young and Trina Dawkins.
• 07-07-2024 | Timber Festival | Using community to tackle racism in the outdoors: an ESEA perspective
• 05-05-2024 | SCARPA Great Lakeland 3 Day | Diversity & inclusion in the outdoors