This article was written by Esther Cosby.
A light breeze hits your back sends a chill down your spine. The sun beats on your face. You look around feeling at peace and content. Hearing the call of birds, the flutter of wings; you are at ease. For me and many others, this is a familiar feeling in the wonders of nature. The impacts and benefits of nature are being far overlooked in this day and age.
The power of nature has far more benefits than you would think. We are human beings and are a part of this world, despite us coming and evolving with nature by our side. Our modern day society put a wall between us and nature. Being connected to nature is perhaps essential to our mental health. When under stressful circumstances or when it comes to focusing nature allows me to recenter whether it’s just taking a walk for just five minutes or spending a whole day outside. Being able to listen to the relaxing sounds out in the sun makes it easy for me to focus. I am saddened by the difference in relationship between the outdoors and my generation. I truly believe that if we had more connection to the outside we would truly become better and more relaxed people.
Language Arts Teacher Audra Whetstone sees the effects nature has on her students. Whetstone has taken it upon herself to become educated on the topic as she is a certified field school teacher and was on a committee for implementing field school at West Oakview Elementary School. She even has a collection of books regarding the topic and is invested in restoring the relationship between children and nature. Whetstone is convinced of the positive effects of outside the classroom adventures into nature. She takes her students outside the highschool as frequently as she can in order to take advantage of these healing opportunities.
“I one hundred percent believe that nature heals, and even if it’s not sunny just going outside and getting fresh air, breaking free of the brick walls is super important,” Whetstone said. “I feel like biologically it’s ingrained in most humans, and there is just natural human power in getting outside.”
Whetstone realizes becoming a parent has helped her to realize the disconnect between generations in regards to nature. She believes connecting with our outside world is important to the average person.
“Until I was eight, I grew up on a dairy farm. We had TV but never had any Nintendo or Atari. My mom always said ‘go outside’ and it was independent play. I had an older brother. He did his thing, I did mine,” Whetstone said. “I didn’t realize until I was like 30 something, looking back, that so many delightful memories of my childhood were outside, and the peace and solitude that I would always get when I was little I now need as an adult. I feel like it’s not just me, it’s all humans, and teenagers especially need that.”
Whetstone recommended the book “Last Child in the Woods” written by Richard Louve. Which helped shape her opinions. She recommended that I should read it to get more familiar on the topic. I borrowed it to do some research of my own and was in awe. It discusses the detrimental effects of children not getting outside and how there have been experiments proving that nature can heal, including things like attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD.
“Within the space of a few decades, the way children understand and experience nature has changed radically. The polarity of the relationship has been reversed,” Louve said “Today kids are aware of the global threats to the environment- but their intimacy with nature is fading.”
I am confident in saying that nature is an impeccable and magical thing. After many interviews, reading books, articles and spending time outside, I believe it can be the solution to mental health struggles like anxiety, depression and focus, as well as physical issues and illnesses. Being a teenager is not easy. Everything can fall out of control, The outdoors is part of the healing solution. It helps ground oneself.
Schools should implement more opportunities to be outside. It helps students mental wellbeing, soothes, energizes and helps with focus. Nature is powerful, and can make school much more productive and more of a beneficial experience.