We need nature for our own good health

But we must protect it for the future, says Sherry Nigro.

One spring day last year, I took the dog for a walk in a woodlot near my home in Orléans, as I do most days. I heard a different sound, a low-pitched grunting, far different from the birds and distant traffic noise. Standing very still, I finally located it: an earth of foxes just 20 feet away! The vixen was talking to her kits as they explored and frolicked. I was fascinated, excited and felt joyful, and yes, happy. Such is just one of the positive effects of nature.

Finally, modern medicine is recognizing that time spent in natural environments has health benefits. Quantitative research is measuring physiologic effects, including positive brain activity, lowering of muscle tension, heart rate and blood pressure, reduced cortisol (a stressrelated hormone) levels and improved immune functioning.

People who live in proximity to green space are more physically active.

Positive mental health impacts — improved mood, increased well-being, enhanced selfconfidence and body image, reduced anxiety, and improved ability to concentrate have all been associated with spending time in nature. Studies on populations, such as public housing residents, show that those who have access to green space enjoy more social ties with their neighbours and a stronger sense of community.

Perhaps children who grow up near natural environments benefit most. In research published earlier this year, Dadvand et al used MRI imaging to show a positive association between long-term exposure to green space and brain structure.

They found increased volumes in white and grey matter in parts of the brain that are responsible for cognitive functioning. Further testing showed better working memory and reduced inattentiveness in children who lived near nature.

Playing in natural environments supports healthy growth and development.

This is an under-recognized and under-utilized health intervention.

Remarkably, positive impacts happen with short exposures: sitting in the backyard, walking along a nature trail, time at the local park, even looking at pictures of nature. From a public health perspective, this is an underrecognized and under-utilized health intervention, and holds great potential as a low-cost/ no-cost way to improve health equity across sub-populations.

We need nature, but more than ever, nature needs us.

Pollution contributes to land and water contamination and poor air quality. Will the Great Lakes ever fully recover? Climate change, influenced by greenhouse gas emissions, is linked with loss of polar ice, drought, flooding and extreme weather events. This, in turn, threatens our cities and farms, our forests and parks. I want a future where all Canadians have access to nature.

I want a future that conserves and protects Canada’s rich biodiversity. From bees to bats, caribou to right whales, species are declining at unprecedented rates. There are more than 200 species of plants and animals at risk of disappearing from Ontario. The balance of nature is jeopardized by invasive species, irresponsible destruction of habitats and our own overconsumption, particularly of fossil fuels and plastics.

We need to be better stewards of our natural world. As individuals, we can reduce, reuse and recycle. We can get involved with nature organizations to educate and engage our local communities. We can become citizen scientists to help monitor local ecosystems.

We can support our policymakers in making informed decisions that will ensure a healthy future.

Recent federal and provincial budget commitments, and legislation such as the Impact Assessment Act, give hope. Municipal policies related to tree-canopy targets and wildlife strategies contribute to the integrity and accessibility of nearby nature.

Next time you hear birds singing, or see a butterfly floating by, or feel the cool shade under a tree — or are lucky enough to see foxes with their young — let’s remember that we need nature; and, nature needs us.