Rooted in the Concrete: Why City Kids Need the Forest (& How to Take Them There)
Children & forests belong together, even if they are growing
up in the middle of a concrete jungle. If you are asking how city-dwelling kids
can develop an intimate connection to wilderness, the answer lies in where we
fit in this grand, intricate ecosystem that Mother Nature operates.
Humans are only one twig of the universal family tree that
contains animals, plants, rocks, rivers & air. Every living thing on earth,
every inanimate object & element in the universe is somehow interlinked
& every action we take sends ripples through this web of life that affects
the whole.
When we take action to purposely expose children &
especially city children, to wilderness, the positive effects can be felt across
their physical, mental & spiritual beings.
The
Science of the Woods: Bodies & Minds
The term in Japanese is Shinrin-Yoku, meaning "forest
bathing." It is less about hiking than about purposely absorbing
the natural environment using our five senses.
SHINRIN-YOKU
Benefits
on Physical Health
1. Lowers
cortisol
2. Balances
blood pressure/heart rate
3. Improved
vision
Benefits
on Mental Wellness
1. Relieves
stress
2. Alleviates
anxiety
3. Builds
resilience
Benefits
on Cognitive (Booster)
1. Improves
memory
2. High
focus
3. Ignites
creativity
The
physical and mental benefits of Shinrin-Yoku are striking.
Physical Vitality
Natural environment & outdoor
activity calms the nervous system, regulates the heart rate, soothes the
digestive tract & even helps prevent the negative effects of an overly
sedentary lifestyle from contributing to obesity. Emerging research is even
linking exposure to nature to an increase in natural anti-cancer proteins in
the body.
Improved Eyesight
Studies show that the average
children raised with abundant outdoor activity have fewer refractive errors
& therefore less likelihood of developing nearsightedness.
Mental & Emotional Resilience
A simple
immersion in nature significantly reduces the stress hormone cortisol, balances
blood pressure & eases states of depression & anxiety.
Boosted Cognition
Taking a
break from technology for immersion in nature helps improve memory, prolong
attention spans, prevent attention fatigue & stimulate creative
problem-solving.
Spiritual Awareness
The
silence of the woods provides presence & naturally engenders a feeling of
gratitude, thus fostering an instinct to protect the environment around us.
The
Crisis of Deforestation
In the midst of all this we are actively destroying the very systems
that provide us with the ability to exist, sacrificing nature for the selfish
& narrow purpose of the money.
Perhaps the biggest factor is systemic deforestation. Cleared
forests can create a cascade effect of environmental crises including global warming,
extreme floods, irregular & harsh weather patterns & the destruction of
agricultural lands. We all know trees are important but listing off basic
platitudes will not save them. We need a solution & it will involve us
thinking radically or in a very new way.
Humans are either driven by an intrinsic desire to do the right
thing (the 'good' kind of person) or motivated by external reward (the kind of
person driven by incentives). The first group will always stand for the
environment, but to enlist the second, we need smart systems.
A
Strategic Framework for Reforestation & Education
The path to sustainability & long-term survival must involve
the protection of our future. The same way that the Swachh Bharat (Clean India)
movement has successfully changed mindsets around sanitation by focusing on
children, our education system must become the vehicle for forest conservation.
Immersive
Forest Curriculums
Our schools must take education from the blackboard & bring
it into the soil. Multi-day trips to rural villages & conservation forests
should be mandatory for every urban student.
Active Stewardship
The
students should plant saplings, learn to irrigate them & actively see trees
as living extensions of themselves.
Incentives & Accountability
Students
should be required to complete these trips for all academic advancement. From
the primary school through the university, each student will receive a Tree Emblem on their report card for
fulfilling their obligation to their ecosystem. This designation should become
as respected &important as a grade in mathematics or science.
Government-Funded
Equality
for the privilege of public education & the mandatory immersion program to
reach all students, government funds must cover travel, housing & necessary
supplies using public transportation &existing networks of lodging.
Independent oversight of funds should be a must in order to maintain integrity.
Economic
& Structural Forest Protection
Fair Wages-Careers in environmental conservation should reflect their
critical importance & be adequately compensated on par with the top paying
jobs in business & city corporations.
Clear Boundaries
To
prevent human encroachment into forests, definitive boundaries like large &
deep, treed moats or high fences need to be created around existing forest
areas.
Urban "Micro-Forests": A Public-Private Partnership
For
city-dwellers to access nature & become connected to its many wonders, the
government should be able to lease public urban spaces at reduced rates to
private entities so that they may create maintained "micro-forests."
The 1% Commercial Incentive
To make
this idea attractive for profit-driven organizations, private corporations
would be allowed to utilize just 1% of their designated forest space to build
commercial venues, such as eco-friendly resorts, bars & restaurants or a
health & wellness center. The spaces would need the presence of
state-appointed security personnel to maintain peace & order.
Strict Preservation Mandates
The
remaining 99% of this area must be exclusively preserved natural space, where
not one healthy or fallen tree can be removed or profited from by the owner of
the space-fallen trees should be designated to the State Forest Department with
no compensation.
Independent Audits
These new
forest spaces must be monitored for the preservation of their ecosystem rather
than through the bureaucratic & corruptible means of the government through
frequent, independent audits performed by ecologically competent organizations.
The Ultimate Blueprint
A society's true wealth is
not measured by its high-rises, luxury automobiles or expansive highways. It is
measured by the character & health of its citizens. By reconnecting urban
youth with nature & leveraging corporate capital for ecological
preservation, we can cultivate a generation of healthy, empathetic & eco-conscious
leaders. Investing in our forests is the single most important investment we
can make for our future.
This
article is by the Author JeevanGopalan:
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