Spring is popping out all over and this is a great time to challenge you to get outside and enjoy it all.
Our health and well-being are directly affected by the amount of time we spend in nature. In a review of the research, Gregory Bratman, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Washington, and colleagues shared evidence that being out in nature is associated with increases in happiness, subjective well-being, positive affect, positive social interactions and a sense of meaning and purpose in life, as well as decreases in mental distress (Science Advances, Vol. 5, No. 7, 2019).
My mood lifts anytime I am out in nature. If I've been feeling down just sitting in the sunshine and breathing in fresh air instantly makes me feel lighter. The more time I spend outdoors the more connected I feel to myself and to the natural world. Researchers call this feeling by a variety of names, including nature relatedness and connectedness to nature. This connectedness seems to benefit mood and mental health. Alison Pritchard, PhD, ABPP, at the University of Derby in England, and colleagues found that people who feel more connected to nature have greater eudaimonic well-being. Eudaimonic is a type of contentment that goes beyond just feeling good and includes having meaningful purpose in life (Journal of Happiness Studies, online first publication, 2019). It has been defined as a life well-lived, or human flourishing, and usually includes authenticity, excellence, growth and meaning.
Being aware of nature is one of my core values. I respect
nature and have a deep belief in our interconnectedness and our
responsibility for its protection.
I've been connected to nature since I was a little kid. What does it mean to be connected to nature? It means we can enjoy it, empathize with it, feel responsible for it, be aware of it, show curiosity about it, choose to be out in it and have an emotional and cognitive affinity for it.
Eric Fromm coined the term biophilia, but, it was popularized by Harvard biologist Edward O. Wilson through his 1984 book Biophilia. In it, Wilson proposed that humans' attraction to nature is genetically predetermined and the result of evolution. In other words, we are wired to be connected to nature.
Every day there's more bad news about the environment, from global warming to an insect apocalypse. Getting outside and getting connected to nature can jump start environmental consciousness. Becoming environmentally conscious starts with recognizing the impact of our individual choices on the environment. From the food we eat to the products use in our yards, our decisions have ripple effects that extend far beyond our immediate surroundings. Research indicates that when people are aware of their environmental impact, they are more likely to adopt eco-friendly behaviors (Kollmuss & Agyeman, 2002). This goes for kids, too.
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| My garden April 1 |
You probably don't need me to create a list of things you can do outside, but just in case: Here's a list!
Hiking: Nashvillians explore local trails like those at the Warner Parks, Shelby Bottoms or Beaman Park.
Wildflower hike: Many local nature centers offer wildflower hikes with naturalists.
Biking: Take a scenic bike ride.
Picnic: Pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic in a park like Centennial Park or at a local botanical garden.
Gardening: Plant a spring garden or tend to existing plants.
Birdwatching: Observe the many bird species that return to the area in spring.
Stargazing: On clear nights, enjoy the night sky and look for constellations.
Fly a Kite: Take advantage of the wind and fly a kite in an open area like a park.
Visit a Farmers Market: Explore local farmers markets for fresh produce and other seasonal goods.
Outdoor Yoga/Meditation: Practice yoga or meditation in a park or garden.
Frisbee or Disc Golf: Have fun tossing a Frisbee or playing a round of disc golf in a park or open field with friends.
Take an Evening Stroll: Enjoy the fresh air and clear your mind with a leisurely walk.
Go for a Run or Walk: Get some exercise and enjoy the weather with a run or walk in a park or along a trail.
Visit a Botanical Garden: Wander through a botanical garden and admire the blooming flowers.
Take a forest bath: Immerse yourself in nature and enjoy the calming effects of a forest bath.
Enjoy the spring weather at an outdoor café.
Make a bird feeder.
Take pictures of nature.
Practice mindfulness activities.
Start a nature journal to document birds and plants.
Go on a guided foraging tour.
Watch bumblebees at work in a garden.Visit the zoo.
Last, but certainly, not least: Take your kids on a nature walk. Create childhood memories or share your own with kids as you play with sidewalk chalk, blow bubbles, or create an enchanted fairy garden.
We need to get our kids outside more...There are many good reasons to be outside for all of us, but, it's especially true for children who seem to be spending less time outdoors than ever before. When researching the numbers I was shocked to read that the average child spends only 6 -7 minutes outdoors everyday. That's so different from my free to roam childhood when as a part of a small gang of neighborhood kids we rode bikes, climbed trees, explored the woodlands and were unsupervised almost all day. Each generation has less time outdoors, let alone unsupervised time outdoors. I am not recommending that you free range kids, just give them more opportunities to be outdoors in nature. There are so many benefits for them and for nature.
Here are six crucial ways playing outside helps children (from Harvard School of Medicine)
1. Sunshine. Vitamin D production, improved immune system, healthy sleep and improved mood
2. Exercise. Children should be active for an hour every day, and getting outside to play is one way to be sure that happens.
3. Executive function. Being outside gives kids opportunities
to practice problem solving, use their imagination, solve problems with playmates and help in developing other life skills.
4. Taking risks. Children need to take some risks. "Risk-taking
is all about identity formation. As kids mature, they need
opportunities to discover who they are, to set their own boundaries, and
to establish their own values and beliefs apart from those of their
parents. Wise risk-taking builds resilience, boosts confidence,
encourages perseverance, and curbs fear." Climbing trees, jumping
off boulders and walls, picking up bugs, and reaching out to make
friends are ways kids can take a risk. Activities need to be age appropriate.
5. Socialization. Children need to learn how to work together, to share, to cooperate, how to treat others and how to make and be a friend.
6. Appreciation of nature.
So much of our
world is changing, and not for the better. If a child grows up never
walking in the woods, digging in soil, seeing animals in their habitat,
climbing a mountain, playing in a stream, or staring at the endless
horizon of an ocean, they may never really understand what there is to
be lost. The future of our planet depends on our children; they need to
learn to appreciate it, to connect to it. Research shows that kids who
grow up connected to nature are more often motivated to get involved in
conservation actions. (source)
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| Visiting Warner Park Nature Center |
Dear readers, please get outside! ...and while you're out there, would you think about ways you can help nature! xoxogail
THE FIRST WEDNESDAY CHALLENGE
The first part of this challenge is to do something, even lots of things, each month that support the critters living in our gardens. Gardening with native wildflowers, shrubs and trees that make sense for our ecoregion is a good place to start or continue (as the case may be). Plants and their pollinators are a classic example of mutualism: they have coevolved through evolutionary time in a reciprocal beneficial relationship. This is also true for other critters that visit and live in our gardens.
Activities that increase our knowledge of the natural world are equally as valuable. Helping others learn about nature is included. Golly gee whiz, there are so many things you can do.
The second part of the challenge is to post about it somewhere: Your blog, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or even your neighborhood listserve. Wouldn't an article in the local paper be a coup for nature! Why post it? Because positive publicity is needed to educate our friends, neighbors and communities about how important even the smallest changes we make as gardeners can be for pollinators, birds, insects and mammals, including humans, that live all around us.
Why now? My
neighborhood is changing. Yours might be, too. Every day an older home
along with many (if not all) of the mature oak, hickory, maple, Eastern
cedar and hackberry trees are cut down. Insects, birds, even mammals
lose their home site and food supplies when we lose trees. During construction
soil is compacted by bulldozers, trucks and piles of
debris cause runoff; surface runoff that can carry pollution to
streams and rivers. It's
important that our neighbors and our community have information about how important trees
are to our ecosystem. Trees contribute to their environment by providing
oxygen, improving air quality, climate amelioration, conserving water,
preserving soil, and supporting wildlife.
In place of the "bee lawns" composed of Claytonia, Salvia lyrata, Ruellia humilis, fleabane, Western Daisy, Violets, self-heal, clovers, native grasses (in my neighborhood it's poverty oat grass) and sedges, they're being sodded with non-native grasses. These monoculture turf lawns contribute nothing environmentally. Here's what we lose when our diverse lawns are replaced with pristine turf grass:
- Gone are the lightening bugs.
- Gone are the ground dwelling/nesting native bees.
- Gone is the habitat for insects, spiders and other critters.
- Gone is plant diversity.
- Gone are trees that provided for hundreds of moths, butterflies and other insects.
- Gone are the nesting sites for woodpeckers, hummingbirds, Chickadees and other birds.
- Gone is a healthy foodweb.
It breaks my heart.
We can't stop the progmess, but,
maybe we can make a lot of educational noise and help our new neighbors
see the value in providing for critters and ultimately helping the environment.
A gardener can hope!
xoxoGail
Here's an
incomplete list of things you might consider doing or changing in your
garden, and things you can do for and/or in your community. But don't limit yourself to my list, make your own list or check
out the
internet for ideas.
Looking for ways to get involved go here for a list of environmental advocacy groups.
Buy the best wildflower, butterfly and bird id books for your state.
Read nature books to your children and grandchildren. Buy them nature books.
Get in the garden with your children and grandchildren.
Shrink your lawn and make your planting beds larger.
Plant your favorite native perennials and shrubs. Leave them standing after they've gone to seed to continue to provide for wildlife. What you plant in your yard makes a difference to wildlife. I garden for wildlife so every tree, shrub and plant is chosen with wildlife in mind.
Plant more natives and then consider planting even more. "A typical suburban landscape contains only 20-30% native plant species. Try reversing that trend in your own landscape by using 70-80% native species." (source)
Plant
for bloom from late spring to early winter. Bees are most active from
February to November (longer in mild climates) late winter blooming Hamamelis vernalis
and the earliest spring ephemerals (like the toothworts, hepaticas,
spring beauties, and False rue-anemeone) are perfect plants for a
variety of pollinators.
Commit to never, ever, ever, ever using pesticides in the garden.
Stay away from native plant hybrids and cultivars that are double flowered. They are sterile and have no pollen or nectar for insects and no seeds for the birds. If possible plant “true open-pollinated native wildflowers”
If you want to garden for wildlife and pollinators, don't let lack of
space stop you! Plant your favorite wildflowers in large containers.
You just might have the prairie or woodland garden you've always wanted...in a pot!
Create a water feature. Provide water year round that is accessible to birds, bees and other critters.
Make a rain garden in low spots to collect and mitigate runoff.
Show some soil! Our native ground nesting bees nest in bare soil, so don't mulch every square inch of your garden.
Get rid of the plastic weed barriers in your garden, it's not good for anything.
Invite bugs into your garden. Plant annuals that attract beneficial bugs.
Learn to tolerate damaged plants. Imperfection is the new perfect.
Don't be in a rush to clean up the fall garden. Leave plant stalks and seed heads standing all winter. Leave those fallen leaves or as many as you can tolerate! Insects over winter in the fallen and decaying leaves. Leave a layer of leaves as a soft landing material under trees for moths and butterflies to over winter. Many caterpillars drop to the ground from the trees in the fall and need a soft landing site and a place to live over the winter.
Allow
a fallen tree to remain in the garden. Limbs on the ground are a
perfect shelter for small animals such as rabbits, chipmunks and
squirrels and a habitat for beetles, termites and other insects.
Make a brush pile. Stack fallen brush, cut tree limbs, broken pots for ground beetles. Ground beetles are excellent at eating "bad bugs". Bugs are also good bird, toad and small critter food.
Rethink what you consider a pest. Lots of good bugs eat aphids. Spiders are important predators and they're great bird food!
Add nesting boxes for birds.
Turn
off your yard up-lighting, eave lights and porch lights after 11pm.
This is important for nocturnal critters including mammals, snakes,
insects, bats, birds (especially during migration). (Birdcast suggestions)
Plant shrubs and small trees that provide berries and nuts.
Keep a nature journal: You can observe visitors to your water feature, make note of when they visit. Notice which flowers attract the most pollinators and which ones are just pretty faces.
Join your state native plant society (Tennessee Native Plant Society)
Join WildOnes even if there's no local group you can join the national organization. (Middle Tennessee WildOnes)
Support your local native plant sellers. (GroWild in middle Tennessee, Overhill Gardens in east Tennessee, Resource Guide TN Native Plant Society)
Encourage your local garden clubs to offer native plant talks.
If your garden club has a plant sale encourage them to sell more native plants.
Get trained as a naturalist (Tennessee Naturalist Program. Almost every state has their own Master Naturalist training program
Take an online course on tree, fungi and wildflower id.
Take an online course on designing with native plants.
Take a walk in your neighborhood and observe nature. To quote Joanna Brichetto in Sidewalk Nature "Look Around. Nature is here, is us, our driveways, our baseboards, parks, and parking lots."
If you are already gardening with wildlife in mind then add a few signs that help educate your neighbors. (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership)
Join the Xerces Society.
Set up an information station where neighbors can pick up brochures about your garden and other info.
Get certified (National Wildlife Federation, check to see what your state offers)
Support
trees by joining the effort to make sure developers don't remove more
trees than are necessary for their project. Work to make sure there are
tree removal permits and that they are actually enforced in your
community.
Gail Eichelberger is a gardener, Tennessee Naturalist and nature writer in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.
