By Todd Burley, Sustainability Advisor, and Giovannina Souers, Environmental Education Program Supervisor
After thousands of studies, the evidence confirms that nature is good for you. You likely experience this yourself as you take a stroll along a forested trail or visit one of your local parks with a friend. We are calmer just by looking at nature. And more exposure helps to lower our stress levels, improve our academic performance, and even improve social connections.
But when is the last time you really immersed yourself in nature? When did you slow down enough to see the details in a leaf, the life in a tidepool, or the glitter of sun on a dragonfly’s wing? Could the benefits of this deep nature connection be even greater?
Seattle Parks and Recreation offers passive and active ways for you to dive deeper into nature. With nearly 500 parks covering over 6,400 acres in the city, almost every person in the city is within walking distance of a place to get a little “Vitamin N,” as author Richard Louv calls this nature exposure. Maybe you take a forest bath (Shinrin-yoku) in Seward Park’s “Magnificent Forest” or sit quietly along the beach at Discovery Park.
If you want a guide to explore a deeper connection to nature, we invite you to join our amazing Environmental Education team on one of our upcoming nature programs. SPR’s naturalists will help you not just notice, but learn, about the nearby nature that is all around us. Sign up for one of these upcoming programs:
- Slither and Slime at Camp Long, Saturday February 28th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Wetland Wonders at Carkeek Park, Saturday, March 14th from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Plants Without Seeds? Mosses, Ferns & More at Discovery Park, Saturday, March 14th 1:00 -3:00 p.m.
- Tidepooling in West Seattle, Sunday, March 22nd 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Like any good habit, getting your dose of nature takes intention and repetition. We hope you’ll make getting out into your parks a practice!