Indigo Rae Wild (they/them, AuDHD)
I am a facilitator, trainer and researcher in outdoor education and recreation with a specialism in diversity and inclusion outdoors. I deliver Forest School sessions and training to various groups, with a particular interest in working with neurodivergent learners of all ages.
My research is focused on the intersection of LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent identities, outdoor access, and environmental justice and how intersectionally marginalized communities engage with nature in different ways, the barriers they face, and how outdoor spaces can be more inclusive.
I explore how the outdoors can support both mental and physical health, particularly how access to green and blue spaces can improve the well-being of LGBTQIA+ individuals, who face disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges.
I am interested in environmental activism, particularly how queer communities have a strong belief in collective responsibility and have left-leaning desires. Whilst my academic research is currently on hold as I explore PhD funding, my interests are in queer theory and queer ecology - using these frameworks to analyse the relationship between marginalised identities and the natural world.
My practice and research are interdisciplinary, combining social justice, healthcare, and environmental studies to advocate for policies and best practices that balance community and environmental resilience.
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My Research
My recent academic work: “Queering Adventure: Building Communities Outdoors to Combat Social and Environmental Injustice”, published in the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning in May 2025. This paper explores how outdoor groups designed for LGBTQIA+ communities challenge long-standing barriers to accessing natural spaces—those barriers rooted in masculinity norms, heteronormativity, and systemic exclusion.
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Using a mix of surveys, semi-structured interviews, field notes, and social media analysis, I investigated how these groups foster connection, belonging, and hope—drawing upon concepts from queer ecology and eco-pedagogies. The findings show that intentional LGBTQIA+ outdoor communities not only support identity and collective wellbeing but also act as sites of resistance and social justice—reframing how we all relate to nature.
Neurotransecologies - PhD funding
I’m developing a PhD project exploring the meeting points between outdoor education, queer ecology, and neurodivergent experience and I’m currently looking for funding for this project, collaborators, outdoor educators and community groups who might want to be involved.
The project builds on my work in inclusive outdoor learning and my previous paper on building queer communities outdoors. It asks how trans and neurodivergent ways of sensing, feeling, and relating to the world might help us understand nature and multi-species relationships differently.
I’m calling this framework Neurotransecologies: a way of thinking about how queerness, neurodivergence, and ecology overlap through practices of care, creativity, and belonging.
At a time when both human and ecological wellbeing are under pressure, I’m interested in how community and connection with the more-than-human world can support collective wellbeing and justice.
If you know of funding streams, or you’re involved with a queer or neurodivergent outdoor group, I’d love to connect. Please feel free to message me or share links, networks, or thoughts!.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.