Description
Introduction:
Richard Louv (2005) believes that ‘children now wander less, discover less and are losing some important connections to nature and place’. Ultimately, children – and therefore everyone – are becoming increasingly disconnected from nature.
Studies indicate that connection with nature is related to care for Earth. In other words, we protect what we know or what we love.
Many scientific studies are also showing that connection to nature impacts mental health. This article ( from Harvard University studies how time in nature affects brain activity and improves mental health.
Instructions:
This week, you get a chance to actively engage in some Vitamin N(ature). Think about where the closest nature to you exists. Environmental historian William Cronon ( in his piece The Trouble with Wilderness ( states that nature exists all around us and that considering “wilderness” as a far away thing makes nature inaccessible to all socioeconomic classes . Think about where nature exists in your community. What purpose does it serve?
Start to notice this week the nature around you in your daily life. Begin to bring awareness to what you see daily that you may currently overlook- the trees along the roadside, the birds chirping around you, what flowers are blooming, etc. Check out this article to see how birds are related to mental health: ( (who would have suspected?!?!?!)
In a place in nature that is comfortable for you, please stop, sit, and relax without a phone to distract you for a minimum of 20-30 minutes. Due to COVID 19- you may choose to use your yard, neighborhood, or even look out your window. In a pinch, you could do an in-depth study of the plants and animals in your own home.
Identify (to the best of your ability) what forms of life are around that you may recognize. You can try using the Seek App or iNaturalist app to identify a few species (these are free).
What parts of nature can you observe through vision? What sounds of nature can you hear? Do you recognize some of the species you see?
Record your observations. As you do the exercise, try to get more detailed. You can take a close look at a particular species, or perhaps notice more and more about the environment around you. Please do this for a minimum of 5 species.
You may use the sources provided. You may also use more or less than two sources. Please relate to California atmosphere specifically the Bay Area. This is a Biology paper please relate to Biology or incorporate it in the paper. Please do not plagiarize, feel free to ask any questions that may arise.