Planet Ark’s National Tree Day event is considered to be one of the largest, nature-care event in Australia. For over 20 years, the organisation has helped Australians plant more than 20 million trees. The biggest supporters of National Tree Day have been thousands of schools and their students, taking the opportunity to beautify their school grounds and spend a bit of their time outdoors. With an emphasis on local natives, National Tree Day has made a significant contribution to providing habitat for native birds, insects and mammals as well as help absorb and lock away carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
But it is not just the environment that has benefitted from this 20 year, nation-wide program. Some of the greatest benefits of National Tree Day have been to the people who have participated in the event. More specifically, the simple act of planting trees has helped redefine our relationship with each other as well as with nature. This is incredibly important, given how hyper-connected and technology dominated our lives have become. Over the past five years, Planet Ark has been researching the impacts technology and reduced nature time is having on society.
Some of the key findings include;
- 1 in 10 children play outside once a week or less
- 1 in 4 children have never climbed a tree
- For every hour we spend outdoors, we spend seven indoors watching tv or surfing the internet
- 51% of Australians feel stressed, depressed and isolated after visiting social media sites
How much time do we need to spend in nature to get the benefits? In the latest research, Planet Ark is prescribing a minimum daily dose of 10 minutes outside. Even 10 minutes a day has been found to be enough to make us ‘happier, healthier, calmer and smarter’, leading to a more fulfilling life. The most profound benefits of nature-contact have been observed among students and children.
Some of the key findings of the latest research include;
- People living in green areas are 40% less likely to be overweight or obese
- 77% of teachers have reported that students perform better in standardised tests when outdoor learning is part of the school curriculum
- People who work in offices with indoor plants are 17% more productive and come up with more ideas
Many other organisations are now recognising the benefits of nature time to those identified and championed by Planet Ark for 20 years. In Canada, the David Suzuki Foundation is promoting the 30 x 30 Challenge, providing thirty creative ideas for doing something nature related everyday for a month. The National Geographic recently published an article examining the positive impacts nature has on our brains. In the UK, The Wild Network is promoting nature play and learning for children. And this movement to encourage people to have more ‘green time’ and less ‘screen time’ is increasingly supported by medical and academic studies.
One of the greatest things about this ‘nature prescription’ is that it very easy and fun (and cheap). So next time you are feeling a little tired, or feel like you cannot concentrate or stuck on an idea, maybe it is time to head outside. Better yet, take the family and friends and enjoy some quality green time. You never know what you might end up finding in the trees.
Conservation, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development 