Welcome

Have you ever noticed that a walk in the woods can make all your cares and worries fall away? That your grandmother is at her best when she digs in the garden?

Maybe you've noticed that your ADHD child seems just fine when he’s playing outside. Or your kid would rather play with sticks and pinecones than that cool plastic toy.

Or maybe your baby sleeps better at night when she’s been outside during the day.

Want to know why? Then this blog is for you.

Why this blog?

For the past few years, I’ve been researching interactions between humans and nature. And the best kind of academic research, I think, is the kind that changes your life. This research has done just that.

It’s changed the way I parent, and the way I am in the world. It’s changed my priorities. Most importantly, it’s changed me.

But aside from the occasional mention in the newspaper, most of this research hasn’t filtered down to the general public. And that’s where this blog comes in. 

What will I write about?

I’ll bring your attention to recent academic studies and the ways that they might affect your life. For example, there has been a lot of research into the ways that ADHD in children is connected to their play spaces. And my own research at the moment involves understanding how soldiers and veterans are turning to nature—from gardening and farming to canoeing and hiking in the mountains—to recover from stress and traumatic military experiences.

There’s also research about the ways that the biochemical properties in plants and trees may soothe people suffering from illness. And studies with Alzheimer’s patients are now showing that when patients have access to gardens, they have lower levels of anxiety and better moods. 

For thousands of years, spending time in nature has been considered to be good for a person’s health, but in recent years, with our busy lives, modern technologies and medicines, this connection is often forgotten. 

Share your thoughts and experiences

Come back for information and musings about all these areas and more. And I’d love to hear from you, too! Please write to share your experiences and interactions with nature. Or if there are any particular areas or studies you'd like me to explore, let me know that, too.