Reconnect with Local Nature

We don’t have to go far to reconnect with nature: no expensive trip to a national park or road trip to another part of the state; no corralling the kids with juice boxes and snacks to get in the car; and no pricey admission fee. Just get out and walk around your neighborhood.

Tortoise Beetle in my yard in 2014

I have found so many cool things in my yard and within walking distance and it gives me a quick uplift to refresh my sense of natural things. More and more data is coming out that time in nature is good for your health - both your physical and mental health. An article came out recently (and this is a gift link to it) that specifically talks about the impact on developing youngsters: “Time outdoors — even a walk around the neighborhood — helps children’s cognition, stress levels and general growth.”

“The average American today spends nearly 90 percent of their time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Yet research indicates that children benefit greatly from time spent in nature; that not only does it improve their cognition, mood, self-esteem and social skills, but it can also make them physically healthier and less anxious.”

This is not a new concept; Richard Louv has written about it before in his book “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.” I have reviewed his other book in the past, “Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life.” Between screen time and outsourcing the yard work to a lawn service, at-home outdoor time consists of going to the mailbox and filling the birdfeeder. We need to do more!

A new frog to explore

Pileated woodpecker near my driveway

So apply a little sunscreen, add a spritz of bug spray and get out there to see what’s happening. Snap photos of unknown critters and then research them together to see what you found. Tools like iNaturalist and helpful online resources/identification groups can help you figure it out.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail are common visitors