Finding Some Tree Time

At a time of great uncertainty and anxiety I was asked recently to talk to the listeners of Radio Gloucestershire about the benefits we can all enjoy from spending time around trees and how it is good for our wellbeing.

It is not so long ago that previous generations lived and worked in the countryside, working close to nature on farms and in rural industries. Today we have slowly lost that connection to nature because so many of us live very busy and often stressed lives in towns and cities. I believe that connection with nature remains in our DNA.

So why not use some of the extra time we all have today due to Covid-19 to perhaps re-connect with our natural world by spending that time around trees and the plants that are now appearing as spring arrives.

 


(c) Neil Aldridge


(c) Neil Aldridge

Trees are like a ‘chemical factory’, giving off good, volatile organic compounds that help us breathe better, reduce stress and boost our immune systems. Spending time near a tree, breathing in deeply is good for our health and this is backed up by science. The aromas of trees and plants in our gardens will refresh and rejuvenate us, plus our endorphin production is promoted when we do this, creating what are sometimes called ‘happy hormones’.

I encourage you to make spending time with trees, or ‘tree time’, part of your allowed daily exercise if you can. Find a tree in the time you have available to get some fresh air. We should use our eyes and sense of smell and spend time with an orchard tree, a tree in your garden or a large oak in a woodland, within a short walk from our home of course.

Enjoying a walk whilst we do this can reduce our stress and remind us that perhaps the time we spend with machines and computers has left us forgetting our natural origins. We should all try and get out into nature, if we can safely do so within the current restrictions!

 

Paul Rutter

Ancients of the Future - Project Officer

Would you like to help these incredible species? There are numerous ways in which you can:

  • Why not volunteer for Back from the Brink? Check out our events page for opportunities near you.
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