THE LANDSCAPING SOLUTIONS BLOG


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LOSING TOUCH WITH NATURE

Landscaping Solutions - Nature Deficit Disorder

There has been a lot of talk in the media lately about Nature Deficit Disorder and while its not recognised as an official medical condition, a great deal of research has shown that Nature Deficit Disorder is something that can result in behavioural problems in a vast number of people, so it might be something that’s worth taking seriously.

The term itself was first coined in the novel ‘Last Child in the Woods’, by Richard Louv and refers to the fact that children (and human beings in general) are spending less and less time outside, resulting in a range of behavioural issues.

With strong links to Nature Knowledge Deficit, (a term describing the fact that we don’t know nearly as much about the natural world around us as we did in ages past) Nature Deficit Disorder is clearly a symptom of the modern lifestyle and a prime example of how we are drifting away from our natural habitat.

In the modern world, it is easy to lose touch with nature. We forget what an important part of our existence it is. There is a reason that people use to worship nature in the past, because it is essential to our survival as well as our well-being. A growing number of people are losing touch and forgetting to interact with nature on a regular basis.

A common cause for the onset of Nature Deficit Disorder is people’s growing fear of the danger the outside world presents, with many people choosing to spend more and more time indoors through fear, and passing this fear on to their children.

The gradual loss of natural surroundings is yet another contributing factor. As housing developments increase we lose fields, green parks and woodland as they are steadily replaced by brick and concrete structures. The lack of interaction with the great outdoors and being denied the opportunity to explore nature trails, woodlands and wildlife can be damaging. When you factor in the introduction of modern technology (video games, computers, mobile phones) it all contributes to a more insular and indoor lifestyle.

Ultimately the culmination of these factors can quickly result in a lack of respect for our natural surroundings, in children and adults. This in turn results in a decline in health for the Earth and the people that inhabit it.

Research has shown that the great outdoors has the power to make a person feel calm and tranquil, even something as simple as standing on the ground with bare feet can be enough to help you feel connected to nature again and feel its calming effect.

When it comes to tackling the effects of Nature Deficit Disorder something as simple as landscaping and maintaining your own garden can go along way to reconnecting with nature. Creating beautiful areas for you to sit and relax in, or even sections where you can regularly garden and plant flowers, are all parts of the process.

Something as simple as spending more time in your garden is enough to start reversing the effects of Nature Deficit Disorder. So when it comes to planing your garden and making it a more relaxing place to be, make sure you take landscape design into consideration or maybe let the professionals create something truly fantastic for you.

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