World Environment Day: How does nature help your recovery?

Engaging with nature is definitely the way to go for climate anxiety ... many ways to do it.

I have done substantial digging and planting for me 2-4 hours per day last 6 days. Back aching, but achieved in many different projects and groups.

Today finally planted out all my vegie seedlings. A bit short on room so had to "farm out" big plants to guerilla garden to make room in soil! ... Mother nature has her weird and wonderful ways.

Great post @Former-Member

@Appleblossom that sounds so amazing! What veggies did you plant? Also, have you seen the The Community Garden 🙂 topic? Maybe you could share a little bit in there too!

And well done of 6 whole days of such hard work! Thanks for sharing what you've been up to and the action you've taken 💚

@Former-Member Next few days will be on zoom and inside, so that will be a pleasant change.

One of the groups planted up the car park in a train station. It was well co-ordinated with council supplying mulch and a local business supplying hundreds plants, with vollie labour. Helps to find like minds. Yep been on that thread ... thanks.

Hi @Former-Member I would be lost without my garden. It’s my way of caring for the environment, taking care of my 1/4 patch of ground. Can barely see the house from the road these days with so much greenery surrounding my home. The bird life is a joy to behold (no cats allowed) as well as frogs, bees and any other insect that cares to make home. I’m also a member of our local river care group, restoring natural habitat. Nature is my temple and I’m blessed to be able to inhabit it on a daily basis.

@Krishna the idea that nature is your temple is so beautiful ❤️

Thank you for sharing how special nature is and the joy it gives you each day

TuxedoCat

Hello @Former-Member the inaccessibility of nature is a stressor for me. And my heart aches when I think of worldwide environmental degradation, destruction of habitat and loss of biodiversity.

Closer to home, I created and maintained an indigenous garden that others decided to mow down and cut down. Council had awarded me with free plants several times. Neighbours are now targeting one of the last survivors, a large healthy mature eucalypt - they've asked for a meeting to authorise its removal.

Around me suburban homes and gardens are being moonscaped for redevelopment as apartment blocks, and most of the birds have gone. I can't drive to get to nature reserves or bushland. My local wildlife carer can't keep up with the injured and orphaned critters coming into care after displacement or cat attack. The forests I knew as a child are burnt and logged.

Heartache.

I've considered paying a carer to take me for walks in bushland reserves. Maybe then nature would help my recovery. In the meantime I agonise over my inability to help nature itself recover, and the futility of protest.

Hi @Former-Member @Appleblossom @Krishna @Dimity

What an interesting thread and a great subject to discuss!

I really enjoy something called earthing (also known as grounding). Some say it is a way to connect to the earth's natural healing energies and may help to reduce inflammation, pain, stress and anxiety. From what I understand it basically means walking outside on natural conductive surfaces (such as grass, sand, soil etc) barefoot.

I really enjoy it - particularly on a nice sunny day and I find it a really nice way to help calm my mind 🙂

Hope you are all enjoying your day!

FloatingFeather

Good afternoon @Dimity

Thank you so much for sharing your story and heartache here. Much of the nature close to my home is also being removed to make way for apartments. It can be so difficult. And it can be alienating when those around us don't appreciate what we're trying to do. Having said that, the garden you created sounds beautiful and I'm glad the council see that too! Are there things you or have done before to help the council see the beauty in this tree? 💚

It sounds like a great idea to have a carer take you nature. When I can't get out, I like to even take small moments in the sunshine or watching nature documentaries. Are there other things like this you can do in the meantime?

BIIIIGGGG HUGS,

TuxedoCat

Ooooh @Dimity Really feeling your distress. Worse when you put in the work and it was not appreciated and the development demigod dominated.

Dont let them win over you. Its one thing to lose plants, but do not lose hope, find a way to connect with those who do care. They are out there. It has made a huge difference to me.

Apple

Thanks for your understanding @Former-Member @Appleblossom .

The tree must be at least 50 years old. Its imminent loss has triggered me and I feel quite unwell.