There is much to be gained from appreciating nature at its finest

I REFER to Anthony Harris’ moving piece (ODT, 23.1.21), ‘‘Biocentric view could yet save us’’, an elegy to the disappearance of the Eyrewell Forest carabid beetle through human destruction of its forest habitat.

An ignorance of what is out there in nature, together with our almost exclusively urban outlook on the world, leads to what author Richard Louv describes as ‘‘naturedeficit disorder’’.

Our species has lost its original identity as a part of the animal kingdom and, at our peril, we have developed increasingly artificial living environments, outside the checks and balances at work in the global ecosystem.

In 1903, Georg Simmel described an urban landscape of constant sensory stimuli, affecting the young and the elderly in particular. Because of this, city dwellers must create a barrier in order to remain sane. Cities, which 65% of us inhabit, have disastrous effects upon our health, in particular, our mental health.

Our intrusive and omnipresent digital climate results in neurochemical imbalances that encourage addictive behaviour in adults and children alike. The more reliant kids become upon artificial stimulation, the less interested they are in organic, humantohuman stimulation.

As we destroy the plants and animals or use up our ecosystem of fresh water, healthy soil and clean air, so we destroy ourselves.

As little as 1020 minutes of time spent sitting or walking in nature has a beneficial effect upon the mental health of the young. The same amount of time spent outdoors in urbanised settings does not have the same benefits.

Evelyn Skinner

Clyde