Seek Biodiversity for Your Wellbeing

Lately I've been really fascinated by all the great research connecting our experience of the biodiversity around us and our wellbeing. It's pretty much a dose-response effect. The greater the variety of plants, birds, and animals you can observe in a day, the better your mental health. The photo I've included here is from our Bomb Cyclone event - it might not look like a very diverse setting, but if you're a bird watcher like me, you know these woods are full of birdsong and a flurry of activity. However, I'm writing this from a desk that doesn't even have a plant near it, so I am fully aware of how nature deprived we all are! Nonetheless, I have a few thoughts for the beginning of this year ....

Three ways nature keeps you sane:

• Nature is restorative. This is a vague concept, but really what it means is that you will be returned to a more whole state by spending time in nature. And who doesn’t feel somewhat scattered and lost in this modern age? People who spend time in spaces that have a lot of different types of plants, birds, and wildlife say they are more relaxed than those who either don’t get out into nature much, or who go to parks or places where the space is highly manicured and limited to only a few different plants and very little wildlife. (Have you ever been to one of those beautifully landscaped tourist destinations and noticed that, yes, it’s picture perfect, but there’s not a bird or a butterfly to be seen? That’s a sign that I shouldn’t be there either. Snap a pic, and find someplace more friendly to living creatures!)
• Nature improves attention. Research consistently shows that both adults and children pay attention better and have improved memory skills if they get outside daily, preferably in green spaces with a lot of different plants and living beings.
• Nature improves your mental health. You’ll be less stressed and frustrated, and generally happier, if you spend time with nature, indoors or out. You’ll be less anxious and less depressed if you can find or create green space in your life.

An Australian team just published some interesting research on this topic in an effort to understand what kinds of spaces people like best. This is important not just for you as you decide where you are going to spend your green time, but for developers and planners who are trying to figure out what to do with public spaces. The researchers surveyed 447 people to find out about their favorite natural spaces, and what they loved about them. Nature parks and botanical gardens ranked high on the list of favorite places, with people often commenting that specific birds, animals, and plants were their most loved elements of those spaces. These observations fall into a category of “fascination” which is cited as a reason people reconnect with nature. Although hard to measure, the responses in this survey, with their attention to the birds, plants, and animals that were most loved, suggests that fascination is a source of connection to the natural world. The research appeared in a 2017 issue of Frontiers of Psychology (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5717422/)

I should add, I am a parent, and so I have to experience the beauty of nature with my little ones in tow. Three truths about taking children out there with you:

1.      Pack lots of water and snacks.

2.      It’s not idyllic, but it’s meaningful.

3.      Let children experience on their own, but be prepared to make it fun.

My husband played a fun game with the kids on this outing. They loved it, and I recommend it – The place we were walking had a lot of boardwalks. Every time we cane to a bridge my husband and the boys named it – This is the bridge of laughter or This is the bridge of not knowing anything – and then had to act it out while on te bide.

Two Challenges for You Today

• Research five green spaces near you that you haven’t been to yet, and pick one to visit next. So, if you're feeling at a loss for how to approach this, or you have some significant worries or fears about getting outdoors, let me know! I'm available not just as a writer, but as a nature experience consultant.
• Take time to notice details in a natural setting. Really, it doesn’t matter if you only have a potted plant, the bird feeder outside your work or school window, or a spirited weed coming up through a crack in the sidewalk, it’s noticing the details of nature that seem to improve mood and well being, according to the Australian team. Take at least five minutes to sit and look at your patch of greenery to fully appreciate it. Sketch or write about your observations if you feel like it.