Neurodivergent, By Nature

Joe Harkness is a naturalist and writer from Norfolk. He has written features for many publications, including The Guardian, iNews, BBC Wildlife, Birdwatching and Birdwatch. He has also shared his passion for nature on TV shows and radio such as BBC Winterwatch and BBC Radio 4. His first book, Bird Therapy, was longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing. Joe works in education and currently oversees a sixth form for young people with complex needs.

Complex and revelatory

• Chapter OneNo, you’re macerating the moth abdomens! – Introducing neurodiversity and natureChapter TwoDia and Gignoskein – Seeking diagnosisChapter ThreeIntolerable tyrants in the dock of the kangaroo court – Experiences in educationChapter FourHugging a tree for a dopamine fix – The importance of natureChapter FiveMore than just the saviour of the orangutan – The conservation sectorChapter SixOut of the box and into the holographic forest – StrengthsChapter SevenCutting the toe pads off hundreds of dead parrots – AchievementsChapter EightAre you here to make the tea or take the notes? – Barriers to accessChapter NineWhy is there a lump of multi-coloured playdough on my seat? – Reasonable adjustmentsChapter TenPeeking over the fence to see what next door are up to – Nature-related NGOsChapter ElevenA rose-tinted perspective on the use of the infographic – Government agenciesChapter TwelveI think I’ll eat my lunch in the bat chat corner today – Smaller conservation charitiesChapter ThirteenJust give the naughtiest ones a sprig of lavender and a circular saw – Forest schools and care farmsChapter FourteenWeaving words into golden threads – Why biodiversity needs neurodiversity Acknowledgements Further reading and resources Index