Lots of places closed, but nature is always open
- Herb Broda: Nature Notebook
- March 20, 2020
- 2028
Please spread the word: Nature is still open! Although it may seem like everything is closed, there is no shortage of fresh air, sunshine and green space.
During a recent press conference, Dr. Amy Acton, director of the Ohio Department of Health, made a very telling statement that may have been lost amid other news that day. She remarked, “We are going to need some nature.”
Especially now, we need the refreshment, renewal and, yes, even the distraction that spring in Ohio can provide. March is the perfect antidote to the uncertainty and anxiety that grows as unusual words like pandemic and social distancing enter daily conversation. Frankly March couldn’t have come at a better time.
Nature changes at an almost hourly rate during March and April. A barren and lifeless area in the morning may have life-rich green shoots emerging by mid-afternoon. A bare twig on Monday may have buds swelling by Wednesday. You just don’t see that type of rapid change at any other time of year.
We have known for years that time in nature is good for both our physical and mental health. Even just a few minutes of walking outdoors can be calming and reassuring. Fresh air and sunshine are always good for mind and body and can transform our moods and outlooks. When you are outdoors, you also can control your level of distance from other people.
The impact of time in nature is truly amazing. A brief walk can lower blood pressure and reduce stress. Scientists have found time in nature can boost endorphin levels and dopamine production, which results in improved mood and a feeling of happiness.
But it isn’t just the physical act of walking that transforms our moods and outlooks. How fast or how far we can walk or hike is not important; what makes the difference is our intentional focus on the sights, sounds and smells that surround us as we walk.
As you walk, look for unusual patterns or shapes. Pause to see what’s flying, crawling or hopping in the area. Quietly listen for just two minutes; it can be energizing even if you can’t identify exactly what you are hearing.
The handiest nature break may be just outside your door. Find an area where bulb flowers like daffodils, tulips or hyacinths are starting to poke through the earth. Pause and just notice the changes that occur daily. It is astonishing how rapidly growth occurs at this time of year. There is no need to measure, calculate or record. Just observe and enjoy.
We are built to be in sync with nature. Unfortunately we often don’t allow ourselves the luxury of connecting. Now more than ever we need to pause and allow ourselves to marvel at the divine rhythm that is unfolding outdoors.
Easy walking
Looking for a change of pace and place? Here are a few of the parks in our area that have paved trails that might be helpful for folks with mobility issues and parents of young children in strollers. Some are Americans with Disabilities Act compliant.
Wooster Memorial Park’s new Kenwood Acres is off U.S. Route 250 just west of Wooster. It is ADA compliant.
The Barnes Preserve on Sylvan Road has a 1-mile ADA trail that crosses woods and open meadow.
In Wooster, Oak Hill Park located near Oak Hill and Oldman roads provides two trails that are listed as “ADA” on the city website.
The 1.3-mile Kinney Walking Path is located at Burbank Road and Highland Avenue in Wooster.
On Fox Lake Road near Orrville is Johnson Woods Nature Preserve. Old-growth forests and awesome spring wildflowers are accessed by a gentle 1-mile boardwalk. It's not listed as ADA but is a gentle walk.
Rails-to-Trails segments in Wayne and Holmes counties also provide level walking paths. There is the Holmes County Trail with an excellent access point at Hipp Station in Millersburg. To the north the trail connects with the Salt Creek Trail in Wayne County, which goes to Fredericksburg.
Wayne County also has the County Line Trail from Creston to Rittman and the Sippo Valley Trail from Dalton to Massillon.
On the OSU Wooster campus is the Secrest Arboretum with paved walkways that wind through the extensive plant collection.
Let’s go outside — nature is still open!
Email Herb Broda at 4nature.notebook@gmail.com.