The Birds & the Bees: Queer Ecology of York

Join a guided Queer Ecology tour through York's St Nicks nature reserve to explore the diverse and unusual lifecycles of plants and animals.

Did you know that scientists often struggle to find male woodlice, that male trees can turn female, or that birds partner up into same-sex couples?

‘Queer Ecology’ aims to challenge what we think of as being ‘natural’ or ‘unnatural’ and explores the biases that affect how we see nature. Join ecologist Connor Butler on a guided nature walk to explore the diverse and unusual lifecycles found in the 'unnatural' plants and animals right outside your doorstep. You’ll learn how to use a hand lens to identify common species of plants and invertebrates and gain a new fascination with the natural world.

This gentle tour around the park invites all curious minds (aged 16+) interested in meeting others, learning identification skills, and seeing nature from a new perspective. The route may go across uneven trails and paths so please contact me if you would like to discuss accessibility.

The walk will start at the park entrance at the St Nick's car park on Rawdon Avenue. What3words: ///rivers.takes.cheer

About your guide:Connor the Ecologist is an entomologist and educator with a decade of experience connecting people with the natural world. He is the former Head of Learning at London’s oldest botanic garden and has also studied dung beetles across London’s parks. To date, Connor has encouraged over 10,000 people to take time to appreciate the smallest details in nature and to show love for the often unloved species on our planet. His recent work focuses on “Queer Ecology“, which challenges perceptions of what is considered natural or unnatural and aims to break down the barriers that minority groups face when interacting with nature. Over the past 4 years, 3,500 people have joined his Queer Ecology tours. @connor_the_ecologist

If you can't make this walk, check out other events at www.connorbutler.co.uk