10 ways to reconnect with nature.

According to a recent article published by the BBC, frequent exposure to nature can improve cognitive function and alleviate depression. It can also help reduce aggression and behavioral problems in children.

Don’t have a forest nearby? No problem, says Lorna Fox of the London Wildlife Trust. “All of us can be guilty of thinking that nature is only in certain places and that tarmac and bricks and dense urban environments mean nature’s not there. Nature is actually everywhere, and as soon as you step through your front door, you’re outside.”

Here’s some tips the article provides for engaging in nature:

1. Stop, look, and listen! Take some time to notice the wildlife around you.
2. Take a walk in the park. Autumn is the perfect time to take a walk and see the leaves.
3. Use your senses. Don’t just use your sight. Touch the bark of a tree, listen for migrant birds, and smell the damp leaves.
4. Make space for nature. Build a birdhouse.
5. Feed your local wildlife. Autumn is the time when animals need to fatten up for winter! Put out food for birds, hedgehogs, or other local non-evasive critters.
6. Take time for the trees. Collect leaves as they fall.

To see the remaining four tips for enjoying the outdoors and more ideas, check out the original BBC article here.

Photography by me. To see more of my photos, please visit Off The Road Photo on tumblr.