What Little We Can

Apparently, the human physiology is the best adapted of all animals for long distance movement. Running, walking, etc. The s-shaped bend in our spines distributes the pressure of holding up our bodies...or something along those lines. I am not an anatomy student, so take that factoid with a grain of salt. Why I find this worth mentioning is because the juxtaposition of our supposed evolutionary advantage (as far as physicality goes, lets not get into thumbs or all the things that are awesome about our brains that I am certainly not well educated enough to explain) and what most of us actually do with our time (sitting/laying, mostly) is comical. When once our species was not yet evolved enough to be able to order groceries delivered to our houses, all without leaving the comfort of our pajamas, going for a walk may never have been considered a leisurely activity. As we have grown more advanced, so too have we grown away from nature. We spend less time outdoors, and when we do go out in to the wild, it's usually with as many conveniences as we can pack along (mobile hotspots, handheld games, whatever the latest e-reader is, etc.). So even an afternoon stroll through the woods has come to be somewhat of an event for the average American.

That all being said, I recently took one such walk.

For the past few courses before we left to go to the Blandford Nature Center, our class had been discussing tree-bathing, and how studies are coming out showing that being in the presence of the forest can actually reduce stress levels and be a healthy thing to to with some regularity. While I have always believed that forests have something of a calming effect, I wasn't (and honestly still am not) sure of their ability to help soften the symptoms of stress and anxiety. I was (and still am) however, charmed with BNC as a whole, and deeply appreciative of the work that it does in the name of education and preservation in the Grand Rapids area. Not only do they maintain a (mostly) natural space, but they also help animals that would otherwise die in the wild.


Both the bobcat and the red tailed hawk in the pictures above are being raised in captivity at BNC for their own safety. Not only does this ensure that these animals can live out their life, but it also helps visitors to learn about their species.

Though I got to walk for only an hour or so, it was a pleasure to do so at BNC. Constantly people are looking for ways to protect the environment,or educate the people about conservation. While there is no one overarching program that I think can work to save the world, it's little places like the BNC doing little things that can help the most.