Connect with Nature
.
Nature is fascinating! There is so much we don’t know about life on our planet. We’re still discovering new species of plant and animal and there may be species that have lived and died out without us never knowing that they ever existed.
Somehow in our western culture we’ve grown up learning that wildlife and plantlife are mostly objects, but as more and more research is done we’re discovering that there are whole worlds that exist that we have no idea about. Of course for many of this we already know this intuitively. It’s nice to have science catch up however!
The wonderful world of wildlife
Did you know, for example, that birds have 5 different calls they use to communicate with each other? Baby birds learn those calls from their parents in the same way that we humans learn to talk. In fact they even learn particular dialects, according to where they live. Birds are the sentinels of the forest. If you understand the various calls of various birds, if you can understand their bird language you can gain insight into everything that’s happening in the forest.
Did you know that ants leave a trail of pheromones as they walk to communicate? Those behind them follow this trail, leading to long lines of ants marching one by one. They also use pheromones to identify which nest an ant is from and its social status in that nest.
And contrary to evolution theories of competitiveness, many species will cooperate with other species when needed and will act altruistically towards other species. There are over 100 recorded incidents where humpback whales intervened to protect seals and other whale species like grey whales from killer whales who were hunting them.
The wonderful world of plants
Or did you know that trees communicate with each other through what’s come to be known as the Wood Wide Web – an underground network of roots and fungi that allow trees to support each other. Or did you know that trees communicate with each other through what’s come to be known as the Wood Wide Web – an underground network of roots and fungi that allow trees to support each other.
Trees and plants can also communicate with each other by sending out chemical signals that other plants can pick up, possibly by smell. And they seem to have a sense of sight because they can ‘sense’ the seasons changing by measuring how long the days and nights are and then use that information to time when they open their flowers or grow new leaf shoots.
Ecologist Suzanne Simard discovered that trees communicate with each. In fact, they do it often and over vast distances. Watch her Ted Talk here.
Some people to follow
Naturalists are students of nature, wildlife and natural history. They are possibly one of the best sources of information on our living planet and how everything ticks. Some prominent naturalists to follow or read about are:
Jon Young
Jon Young is a nature connection mentor, naturalist, wildlife tracker and author. His research into the impact and significance of nature on human intelligence and development has influenced tens of thousands of people worldwide.
Anna Breytenbach
Anna Breytenbach is an interspecies communicator, animal activist and conservationist. She was the subject of a 2013 documentary called ‘The Animal Communicator’. Anna lectures on animal conservation and teaches animal communication around the world.
Edward O. Wilson
Edward O. Wilson is a naturalist and biologist who is widely considered to be the world’s leading authority on ants. He has also been a pioneer in spearheading efforts to preserve and protect the biodiversity of this planet.
Tom Brown Jr.
Tom Brown Jr is America’s most acclaimed outdoorsman, and a renowned tracker, teacher, and author. When Tom was only seven an Apache elder began coyote teaching Tom in the skills of tracking, wilderness survival, and awareness.
Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall is a primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist and animal rights activist. She has devoted her life to the study of chimpanzees and other primates and created one of the most trailblazing studies of primates in modern times. She has written several books and continues her efforts to educate people about the ethical treatment of animals.
John Muir
John Muir was a Scottish-American naturalist, conservationist and author. He was an early advocate for the preservation of wilderness and founded the Sierra Club. John Muir is affectionately known as the “Father of the National Parks” in the US.
For the bookworms out there
If you love to read and learn, here are a few great books and authors to start with.
Peter Wohlleben
The Hidden Life of Trees
In this international bestseller Peter Wohlleben describes how the forest is a social network that functions just like human families and communities do.
He describes the fungal networks underground in forests that send nutrients and information to other trees in their family.
The Inner Life of Animals
We tend to assume that we are the only living things able to experience feelings but more and more we see and hear stories of animals who help each other, act compassionately, show incredible cleverness or demonstrate the ability plan for their future.
Peter Wohlleben is a german forester and author whose book The Hidden Life of Trees became an international best-seller.
He combines scientific studies with his own observations to uncover the intelligence and emotional complexity of trees and animals that largely goes unseen.
Listen to Peter Wohlleben being interviewed by Phillip Adams on Late Night Live.
"The Hidden Life of Trees" on Late Night Live
Jon Young (see above)
What the Robin Knows
Birds know everything important that happening in their territory. Their survival depends on it.
So by tuning in to their calls and observing their behaviour, we can get an insight into life in the entire environment around us.
What the Robin Knows will change the way you look at and listen to the birdlife around you wherever you happen to be.
Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature
Jon Young writes in the Introduction, “Experience has taught me that Coyote Mentoring, working on so many levels, is by far the most effective learning and healing journey I have yet to encounter. I have seen people fully connect to the birds of their landscape, discovering hawks, foxes, and owls with the help of birds and other animals.”
Richard Louv
Last Child in the Woods
Last Child in the Woods shows how our children have become increasingly alienated and distant from nature, why this matters, and what we can do to make a difference. It is unsentimental, rigorous and utterly original.
The Nature Principle
The Nature Principle taps into the restorative powers of the natural world to boost creativity; promote health and wellness; and ultimately strengthen human bonds. The book offers groundbreaking research, anecdotal evidence, and compelling personal stories.
Games to play in Nature
“The question is not what you look at, but what you see.” ― Henry David Thoreau The best way to learn about nature is to fully immerse yourself in it. These games can immerse you and help see and feel nature in a new way. The games are best played with another person.
Exploring & Experiencing Nature
Interviewing Nature
The Camera Game
Mapping sounds
Bring nature into your garden
Often you don’t even have to wander very far to develop a friendship with Nature. Your own garden can provide a wonderful opportunity. You’ll find wildlife in almost any patch of ground. And if you’d like to encourage more wildlife to visit your garden all you need to do is create some habitat for them.
You can do this by:
- Planting flowers rich in nectar – for bees & butterflies. (Here’s a helpful list to start with)
- Planting native trees and shrubs
- Creating nooks and crannies for birds, bats and insects to shelter and breed. Old tree hollows that wildlife would normally use are hard to find these days
- Creating bird baths and feeding stations with native foods for birds
