This semester my research will conduct a sociological study on ways that humans can have a healthier relationship with the environment and the subsequent effects of this relationship on communities and the individual. I will reflect on my own experiences and those shared moments with friends and family.
As much as many of my posts will seem like a personal account of the past month or two, consider the ideas I present as a way to further engage yourself in local conservation projects and activities.
*I in no way represent the ideal relationship between humans and nature but certainly strive to lead a sustainable lifestyle. I spend as much time as possible enjoying nature in all of its forms-except natural disasters. I try to avoid those. Green space doesn’t necessarily mean a Texas State Park or nature preserve but could be your neighborhood park or watershed*
A little about myself: I’m a Junior at a small liberal arts college in Austin called St. Edward’s University. My major is Global Studies with focuses in Latin American Studies and Public Health with a minor in Environmental Science & Policy. I currently am an intern at Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve in West Austin. I hope to continue my education upon graduation from St. Edward’s and do at least a year of service regarding the issues of sustainability, local food production, or urban health inequalities.
St. Edward’s University – Doyle Hall Feb 16
Possibly the easiest way to immerse yourself in the outdoors is to move your exercise outside! Over the first two months of the semester, I have walked + ran over 300 miles, stepped over 570,000 times, and climbed over 912 “flights of stairs”, the majority of which outside. “Flights climbed” represents an incline of at least 12 feet. Unfortunately, I suspect this part of the data is a bit flawed. I don’t own a car so I walk everywhere I can. The daily averages present below are ranging from the dates Jan. 3rd-February 28th.
I try to run at least three times a week and love to run through the green corridor connecting St. Edward’s University to Lady Bird Lake. This “green corridor” stretches from Blunn Creek Nature Preserve through Big & Little Stacy parks until the lake. Round-trip the run is about a 4.5 miles and showcases the Travis Heights neighborhood, a historic South Austin area that dates back about one-hundred years.
Lady Bird Lake, Austin TX – January 29
The Power of Parks
I consider myself pretty fortunate to live in an area with so much available green space to frolic in. In fact, there is a beautiful view pictured below of St. Edward’s University from Blunn Creek Nature Preserve, which is located just across the street from the north entrance of the campus. The City of Austin does a decent job of incorporating parks throughout different neighborhoods in the city.
Blunn Creek Nature Preserve – Jan. 23rd
However, most U.S. cities are dangerously short on public land available to all of its citizens. Green space provides public health, economic, social, and environmental benefits. Greater access to green space is linked to a healthier population, lower crime, increased property values, pollution cooling, controlling storm runoff, and better integration between people of different social/racial/ethnic/economic backgrounds (Sherer, Paul). See the graph below for the best cities in regards to the amount of parkland per person (The Trust for Public Land City Park Facts).
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve- Community Outreach & Education
As an intern at Wild Basin, I coordinate volunteer events and investigate the presence of invasive species at the nature preserve. Two weekends ago, a team of interns and volunteers came together to remove invasive species from the park. We mostly concerned our efforts on Japanese and Chinese Ligustrum, pictured below.
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve – Feb 20
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve – Feb 20
Involving the local community has a greater effect than removing those pesky plants that find their way into public places. That single volunteer event also educated another ten to fifteen people about the dangers of development and the species we plant in our own front yards. They in turn can educate their friends and family about why we should be concerned about using only native species on our lawns. Japanese and Chinese privet/ligustrum are used in neighborhood landscaping but are incredibly invasive.
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve – Feb 20
Perdenales Falls- The Mental Health Benefits of Parks
Perdenales Falls State Park – 6:45 AM Feb. 27
This past weekend, I was able to go camping with a group of friends at Perdenales Falls State Park. I was a bit nervous about meeting the friends of friends but knew given the location that I would be able to open up to these new people. Speaking as someone who struggles with anxiety, I feel more comfortable while in nature. For a while, I did not understand why I felt more comfortable with my social anxiety while in nature. It turns out science actually has answered this question. A short walk in nature actually reduces daily stress and anxiety (Khazan). In my future blogs, I will get further into the biological reasons for this and the release of specific endorphins that relax the mind and body while in nature.
Perdenales Falls State Park – February 27
These mental health benefits could be due to endorphins but it could also be a failure of our biological evolution. See, humans were meant to spend all of their time in the outdoors, like every other animal on the planet (Williams, Florence). Our culture population growth and expansion has led us to seek “solace” indoors ignoring our basic human instincts.
Other Recent Adventures in Austin
Below is a map of the other natural attractions that I have visited in between the start of the semester and the end of February.
- Barton Creek Greenbelt
- Pace Bend Park
- Zilker Park
- Driftwood Winery
- Mt. Bonnell
St. Edward’s University – Feb 15
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Zilker Park – Feb 20
Pace Bend Park – Feb 13th
Mt. Bonnell – Jan 18th
Barton Creek Greenbelt – Jan 18
Blunn Creek Nature Preserve – Jan 3
In Conclusion
Parks/Green space of all kinds have potential health benefits to each individual and the community as a whole. Communities are fitter when nearest to a safe park. They are better integrated and connected to the natural habitat. These communities generally have more care for their environment and will act accordingly in their individual lives. Each person who utilizes local green space will have overall less stress, anxiety, and depression.
Epilogue
Please enjoy this song about how humans are too caught up in our daily lives. It’s by a band called Jungle. I think it speaks a lot about our consumer culture and our lack of external motivations (such as the outdoors) besides getting paid.
Sources:
“City Park Facts.” The Trust for Public Land. The Trust For Public Land, 2010. Web. <http://static.persquaremile.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/parkland-per-person-us.png>.
Jungle, Busy Earnin. Chess Club Records. 2013
Khazan, Olga. “How Walking in Nature Prevents Depression.” The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 30 June 2015.
Sherer, Paul M. “Why America Needs More City Parks and Open Space.” The Benefits of Parks. The Trust For Public Land, 2006. Web.
Williams, Florence. “This Is Your Brain on Nature.” National Geographic. 8 Dec. 2015. Web.