Citation: Palmer, S., O’Riordan, S., & Whybrow, A. (2022). Editorial: The Journal of Ecopsychology. Journal of Ecopsychology, 2, 1, 1-4. https://joe.nationalwellbeingservice.com/volumes/volume-2-2022/volume-2-article-1-editorial-the-journal-of-ecopsychology/
Processing dates: Submitted: 24 January 2022; Published: 31st January 2022
Download: Available for download from ResearchGate.
Introduction
Welcome to Volume Two of the Journal of Ecopsychology (JoE).
We are pleased that in our first year we have published book reviews, research and invited papers (see Alderman, 2020; Di Blasi, Palmer, & McCall, 2021; Kotera, Liu, & Chamberlain, 2021; Palmer, M., 2020) and already have articles currently going through the peer review process for 2022.
Invitation for papers
The Journal of Ecopsychology editorial team invite papers on the theory, research, philosophy and practice of Ecopsychology. This includes papers on the human-nature relationship; Biophilia hypothesis; Attention Restoration Theory; nature connectedness; nature walks; climate coaching; nature powered coaching; eco-wellbeing and eco-health; climate crisis; shinrin yoku and forest therapy; unsettling ecopsychology practice; green, red and blue exercise and space research; improving wellbeing through urban nature; virtual reality and other areas that can be informed by Ecopsychology. Articles on conservation, nature-based solutions, nature networks environmental and positive psychology are also invited.
We welcome discussion papers, brief reports, short papers on techniques and conference reports. We are keen to receive book reviews and conference reports. We have also introduced two new categories, position and opinion papers.
Submission and Review Process
Submitted articles will be initially reviewed by an editor to verify its suitability for the journal and that it adheres to the Journal of Ecopsychology (JoE) submission guidelines. If the article passes this initial stage, then it will then be subject to a masked reviewing process depending upon which section of the journal it is being submitted to.
Key items that they will be considering are:
- Is the article relevant to ecopsychology and allied fields?
- Does it address issues of interest to a broad readership?
- If a research paper, then is the methodological rigour of sufficient standard?
- Is it written clearly to understand?
- Does it add to the existing knowledge-base?
Length
Papers should normally be no more than 8000 words including abstract, references and figures. The editors will consider an extended article if there is a clear rationale for its submission, for example, a mixed methodology paper. However, the Editors retain discretion to publish extended papers.
Brief reports
Brief reports are no longer than 1500 words in length. They could be a commentary, discussion, research paper or a previously presented conference poster extended to make it suitable for publication. Research protocols can also be submitted prior to the research having been undertaken. Research papers and research protocols will be subject to a peer review process.
Position Papers
Position papers focus on subjects or fields of work which, in the author’s opinion, need readdressing. A clear position with possible actions, should be made on the subject. Position papers would normally be between 1500-3500 words in length.
Opinion Papers
Opinion Papers are original reports and personal views on a given topic or field of work (focusing on the author’s views). Claims and assertions should be supported with facts, statistics, or published research studies. Opinion papers would normally be between 1500-5000 words in length.
Approaches, techniques, interventions and strategies section
We are interested in receiving articles about ecopsychology based techniques, interventions and strategies. Articles would normally be between 750-1500 words in length.
Book reviews
Book reviews should include the book title, author(s) or editor(s), publisher, date of publication, number of pages, cost. We recommend that the journal editor is initially contacted to ascertain if the book is suitable for review in this journal and to ensure that it is not already in the process of being reviewed. We will consider reviews of classic and/or influential books in the field that are out of print.
Conference, congress, workshop and symposium reports
Reports on conferences, congresses, workshops and symposium are important in order to keep practitioners and researchers up-to-date with events they were unable to attend. All submissions should include the event title, organising body, location, date and URL to the event website. It is important to receive agreement for an event submission from the editor to confirm if the event falls within the remit of this journal.
Publication
The Journal of Ecopsychology has adopted a continuous online publication model. Therefore once a paper is accepted for publication, it will usually be uploaded to the website within 48 days subject to typesetting and processing. In order to publish accepted articles promptly, National Wellbeing Service journals use article numbers instead of the traditional method of continuous pagination through any particular volume. (Page numbers will still be used within each article.) Although it is an e-journal, it may be published in a print format for professional bodies or organisations on an annual basis if requested.
COVID-19 Pandemic
Last year, 2021, continued to be an extremely challenging period for many people around the planet with the short and long-term impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. As we feared in our first editorial (Palmer, S., 2021) COVID-19 variants have continued to surface although vaccines have been effective in reducing mortality. However, there has been a disparity in the supply of vaccines around the world with the wealthy nations benefitting the most. We hope that this unfairness in the vaccine distribution is addressed during 2022.
Climate change
The United Kingdom hosted the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021. The COP26 summit brought parties together to work towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Whilst Governments discuss what they are prepared and not prepared to do at these conferences, we as ecopsychologists can all reflect on what actions we can take at the personal and community level. What can we do to encourage our communities to tackle the climate crisis? Can we create more green spaces in cities? The editorial team would be interested to receive brief reports on what action ecopsychologists are taking to address climate crisis.
Conclusion
The editorial team are looking forward to receiving contributions to the journal. We have invited papers on a wide range of topics that directly or indirectly relate to the field of ecopsychology. We would like to thank our sub-editor, Annie Cree, the Consulting Editors and the International Editorial Board for their on-going support.
For further details about submitting papers, please visit our journal submission webpage. See: https://joe.nationalwellbeingservice.com/submission-review-process
References
Alderman, A. (2021). Book review: Your Guide to Forest Bathing: Experience the Healing Power of Nature. Journal of Ecopsychology, 1, 3, 1-3.
Di Blasi, Z., Palmer, S., & McCall, J. (2021). Telephone-coaching while walking during COVID-19: A pilot study. Journal of Ecopsychology, 1, 4, 1-13.
Kotera, Y., Liu, G. H. T., & Chamberlain, K. J. (2021). Not Only Green and Blue: Defining the Potential of Red Nature to Improve Wellbeing. Journal of Ecopsychology, 1, 5, 1-6.
Palmer, M. (2021). Book review: Shinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest Bathing. Journal of Ecopsychology, 1, 2, 1-3.
Palmer, S. (2021). Editorial: Ecopsychology and Beyond: An appreciation of our relationship with Nature. Journal of Ecopsychology, 1, 1, 1-4. https://joe.nationalwellbeingservice.com/volumes/volume-1-2021/volume-1-article-1
Biographies
Professor Stephen Palmer PhD FISCP is Professor of Practice at the Wales Academy for Professional Practice and Applied Research, University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Coordinating Director of the ISCP International Centre for Coaching Psychology Research. He is an Adjunct Professor of Coaching Psychology at Aalborg University, Denmark, Fellow and Honorary President of the International Society for Coaching Psychology, and Director of the International Centre for Ecopsychology, London. Stephen’s professional qualifications include being a Chartered Psychologist, Chartered Biologist and Chartered Scientist with an interest in biodiversity. He manages over 200 acres of forest with a management plan focusing on enhancing the forest’s health and ecosystem. He is also a member of the British Ecological Society. Stephen co-edits a number of academic journals and has written and edited 60 books.
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0108-6999
Dr Siobhain O’Riordan PhD FISCP is a chartered psychologist and chartered scientist. She is a Fellow and Chair of the International Society for Coaching Psychology (ISCP) and a member of the International Research Centre Development Team of the ISCP. She is also an Honorary Research Fellow at the Wales Academy for Professional Practice and Applied Research, University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Her recent book, Introduction to Coaching Psychology (with Palmer) was published in 2021 by Routledge. http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3216-2939
Dr Alison Whybrow PhD FISCP has been involved in the development of the coaching psychology profession since the early 2000s. A past chair of the British Psychological Society Special Group in Coaching Psychology, Alison is an honorary research fellow at the ISCP International Centre for Coaching Psychology Research. She runs her own coaching and consulting business. She has recently been exploring and writing about regenerative coaching practices. Prior to co-founding the Climate Coaching Alliance, in July 2019, together with Zoe Cohen and Linda Aspey, she co-authored the open letter to the coaching profession to declare a climate emergency. She worked with the Pachamama Alliance and write on subjects from complexity and gestalt practice through to coach accreditation and much in between.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6716-8612