Connecting with Nature Promotes Environmental Stewardship
Today, there is awakening awareness that enlightened humans will be better stewards of nature. This awareness includes boosting one’s bond with nature—a delightful activity—and becoming conscientious about not harming nature through pollution or abuse of natural resources.
There is concern about the future that lies ahead if people don’t change, but it’s not too late.
Here are some tips for boosting one’s bond with nature and marveling at the difference it makes to humans and the rest of life on Earth.
Living in Harmony
Being in nature can provide valuable life lessons. A stroll through the woods shows that species in nature live in harmony and that the survival of all life depends on relationships.
Symbiotic relationships are the rule in the forest. Diversity is what makes an ecosystem strong.
For instance, a patch of woods has different types of trees growing together, trunks and branches entwined with short shrubs and groundcover plants below. Symbiotic relationships are the rule in the forest.
Diversity is what makes an ecosystem strong. Compare this to a city where people of different ethnicities, nationalities, and beliefs live together without friction. What might be learned by comparing these two places?
In a forest ecosystem, rabbits, squirrels, birds, deer, and other animals find food and shelter—whether it be in the groundcover plants such as violets, sedges, ferns, or baneberry; the understory shrubs and trees such as staghorn sumac, dogwood, witch hazel, viburnum, or elderberry; or the tree canopy of maple, hickory, oak, locust, cedar, pine, and so on. (For help in identifying trees and other plants when in the woods, try downloading LeafSnap or Seek.)
In a healthy deciduous forest, every vertical level is occupied, and plant and animal diversities are great.
Interconnected Lives
Professor Chris Laszlo, of the Case Western Reserve University Fowler Center for Sustainable Value in Ohio, is a researcher on sustainability and systems thinking as it relates to the human connection with nature. He emphasizes that understanding the interconnectedness of all life forms and ecosystems is crucial to re-establishing a strong bond with nature.
After all, it was not that long ago, on Earth’s timeline, that humans were part of the wild and nothing was domesticated. Regaining this connection to the wilderness has repeatedly been shown to be beneficial to human health and well-being via improved breathing, better sleep, and reduced symptoms of depression.
Laszlo points out that the health of the natural environment also benefits from human beings recognizing the interconnectedness of all life. He believes that through learning about ecosystems, the roles of different species, and how humans and the environment interact, humans will recognize that they are an integral part of the natural world and see themselves as stewards rather than exploiters of nature.
“Looking at how individual flourishing, based on what we’re terming spiritual experience—through a greater sense of connectedness that people have to their own purpose, to community, and to the larger environment—is helping them to make decisions that support sustainability in everything they do,” says Laszlo.
Conscious Living
Though people may take walks next to a river or through the woods, if they aren’t paying attention, does it matter? Laszlo believes that reconnecting with nature means fostering a deep, mindful awareness of the natural world. Intentionally appreciating the beauty and complexity of the environment are ways for people to awaken their connection to the Earth.
Thus, instead of talking on a cell phone while walking a trail, it’s important to focus on nature and attune to the rhythms and beauty of the environment. Laszlo emphasizes the importance of being fully present in the moment and engaging all the senses when in nature.
By paying attention to the sights, sounds, smells, and textures of nature, individuals can develop a deeper appreciation and cultivate a more intimate relationship with the natural world.
Conscious living is not always easy for busy minds. It requires practice, and before that, learning. A few important steps toward conscious living are:
Being mindful of thoughts and focusing on surroundings
Seeing things through a wider lens, without ego and beliefs passing judgment
Disconnecting from technology
“Don’t immerse yourself in your smartphone,” says Remez Sasson, author and creator of SuccessConsciousness, a personal growth and conscious-living website. “There is real life around you. Don’t forget the world. Where your awareness is, that’s where you are.”
Mindful awareness of our relationship with the wild can be encouraged by practicing gratitude, which also helps to cultivate a deeper emotional connection.
Mindful awareness of our relationship with the wild can be encouraged by practicing gratitude, which also helps to cultivate a deeper emotional connection, according to Laszlo.
This could be done by tracking one’s relationship with nature through journaling: “Today I walked the path along the lake. I saw a family of ducks. The lapping of the waves sounded soothing, but I saw the ducklings struggled to swim through these waves. Perhaps this is a lesson in how I can move through my own obstacles.”
Photo journaling with captions could be equally effective (share it on social media or not; this is a personal relationship): “Interesting tree still growing even though it is broken.” “Beautiful rocks left behind by a glacier—a magnitude of force that puts my life in perspective.” “The sun was dappling through the trees, and I noticed the bees on the dandelions.” Laszlo says that gratitude fosters a mindset of respect and reverence, which can lead to more mindful actions toward the planet.
Humans are empowered by going inside themselves and observing what’s happening there. When meditating on the environment, some people come up with feelings of helplessness about making a difference. But are those thoughts logical, since people are empowered with limitless imagination and an abundance of free will? Can people further evolve to consciously improve their relationship with the natural world?
The biophilia hypothesis says they can. It refers to one's innate or inborn focus or emotion toward life forms. Researchers say people were biologically driven to interact with plants and animals as an evolutionary adaptation, especially crucial for humanity's survival in nature during ancient times. However, in the modern era, biophilia has shifted toward an “affiliation with Nature” that deepened and expressed itself through pro-environmental behavior.
Nurture the Connection
There are myriad activities that will strengthen one’s connection with nature. Some come with a payback in the form of increased energy and improved physical health outcomes, such as a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Mental health benefits may include decreased distress, attention restoration, and a sense of fulfilment.
Without realizing it, someone’s preferred activities may actually be a calling to connect with nature, such as an urge to plant a garden, fill the house with plants, care for pets, or place bird feeders outside the windows. Some might prefer swimming in a lake over swimming in a pool or relaxing under a tree instead of in a living room recliner.
Connecting with nature can take the form of small or large acts that help heal the environment. Picking up trash on a walk, composting, carrying a reusable shopping bag, volunteering to remove invasive plants, helping to build a community garden, or donating money to help endangered sea turtles are all activities that demonstrate an intrinsic connection with nature. Even reading a book to learn about local wildlife can create a greater sense of wonder and connection to the natural world.
Children in Nature
A 2020 paper published in the International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education by researchers at the Children and Nature Network points out that children experience nature differently than adults: “Quality time in nature [for children] includes opportunities for self-directed exploration, multisensory engagement with nature places, the presence of animals, and the supportive influence of peers and adults.”
Given the differences in how children perceive the world, the researchers agree on the need for more studies that focus on 2- to 5-year-olds in nature to better understand immediate and long-term effects. For example, they use their bodies as their pathway for relating to nature and may not be able to accurately vocalize or self-assess feelings like empathy and curiosity.
These are the feelings that “enrich life in the moment, with the capacity to motivate children to continue to seek out nature as they grow. Through early experiences in nature, children may begin to feel part of the natural world,” the researchers say.
A child who develops a strong Connection to Nature (C2N) grows into a person who is more likely to engage in pro-environmental behaviors.
Many researchers over the last 30 years have agreed that a child who develops a strong Connection to Nature (C2N) grows into a person who is more likely to engage in pro-environmental behaviors.
During the last 20 years, studies exploring the impact of children's nature-relationship have increased in number and focus. Studying C2N is now a scientific discipline that goes beyond the well-being of children and delves further into the long-term effects of children who develop a C2N at an early age.
One C2N study is ongoing in preschool populations in Sweden, and smaller studies are taking place across the United States and Canada. With time, these will inform parents, teachers, developers of urban areas, and designers of homes and schools when and how to introduce children to the idea of their bond with nature.
Research to improve human understanding of nature must continue, as the world faces critical socio-ecological challenges, such as biodiversity loss and climate change. Laszlo says by viewing the planet as a complex, interdependent system, individuals and organizations can develop strategies that promote sustainability and good health for both humans and the environment.
*Julie Peterson writes science-based articles about holistic health, environmental issues, and sustainable living from her small farm in Wisconsin.
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