Nature-Mindfulness activities such as Forest Bathing can increase awareness of our own thought processes, enabling us to explore and appreciate our external world through nature-connectedness. Forest Bathing practices such as Sit Spot that encourage us to set aside some time each day, or a few times a week, are a great way to build emotional regulation skills, in addition to the other inherent benefits of spending time in nature.

This post looks at ticks, tick bites, Lyme Disease and why the incidence of tick bites can increase when Oaks and other nut-bearing trees have ‘mast years’.

Large acorn crops lead to increases the deer population as they eat the acorns which are high in calories. Ticks are major ectoparasites of deer and as their populations grow, so to do the numbers of ticks that there are. As some ticks are carriers of Lyme Disease, then as the tick population increases, the incidence of Lyme Disease in humans increases.

The biggest differences between Forest Bathing and a more conventional walk in the woods are probably down to what you seek to achieve and what you do when you are there. Forest bathing is not about reaching a certain destination, such as the top of the hill, or completing a lap of the lake, it is more about reaching a relaxed state of being in which you mindfully notice what is happening around you using your different senses.

‘Forest Bathing’ is a nature-connection practice that almost everyone can take part in, that will benefit your physical, emotional and cognitive functioning. It is increasingly recognised as a preventative approach to healthcare - a kind of ‘forest medicine’ that utilises the restorative power of trees and nature to improve health and wellbeing.

A recent study has reported that Smartphone use has increased greatly at a time when concerns about society’s disconnection from nature have also markedly increased. A different study has reported that it was not Smartphone use itself that was the issue in terms of reduced connection with nature, so much as what you did with your Smartphone and more importantly, what you pointed the camera at.

Experiencing awe involves two components, vastness and transcendence. Vastness happens when we see something like a spectacular view or sunset or are exposed to a concept such as the the infinite size of the universe that is too incredible to fit into our current worldview, forcing us to expand our understanding of what is possible. Transcendence happens when we take in this new, awe-inspiring experience and try to make sense of it.

We hosted the Inaugural Scottish Tree Hugging Championships, on Friday 22nd July at Ardtornish as part of the Morvern Games Week. The winner was Alasdair Firth (pictured), who lives locally on a woodland croft.

This event was run in association with the World Tree Hugging Championships held annually in the HaliPuu Forest in Levi, Lapland, Finland.

Research has shown that when people view naturally occurring fractals in nature, it increases the alpha brainwave activity in their brain. Alpha waves are produced when people are relaxed and they are linked to physiological health benefits, and these benefits can be measured even when fractal patterns are only viewed for a short period of time.

An increasing number of children now grow up in urban areas with limited access to nature. This is especially so amongst children where less than one in 10 children now regularly play out in ‘wild spaces’ such as parks, forests or beaches, compared to half of their parents when they were children.

World Rainforest Day was launched in 2017 by the Rainforest Partnership and recognises standing, healthy forests as one of the most powerful and cost-effective climate change mitigation tools we have. The partnership aims to create a global movement to protect and restore them. World Rainforest Day has been created to take decisive action to combat deforestation, reduce the effects of climate change, and protect our rainforests for future generations.

Rumination is defined as “obsessive thinking about an idea, situation, or choice especially when it interferes with normal mental functioning”. When people ruminate they often play the same thoughts over and over in their heads often analysing their current distress, the reasons for it and its consequences. Studies have found that nature-connectionn activities can lead to a reduction in rumination.

Nature-connection activities should help you to feel more in tune with nature and a part of nature rather than apart from nature. It is all about appreciating the wonder and beauty in nature and the natural environment, rather than about ‘knowledge’. Nature-connection is not about wildlife or tree-identification, it involves shifting your attention and focus from learning about what something in nature is to how things in nature make you feel.

Increased connection to nature is important on a personal level as it can improve and maintain health and wellbeing, leading to a lower incidence of ‘affective’ mental health problems including lowering depression and anxiety levels and relieving stress. However, increased connection with nature can also be beneficial to the wider natural environment, as it can lead to more pro-environmental attitudes and subsequent positive behaviours.

Hugging trees is an ancient practice that dates back thousands of years. It’s also one of the most effective ways to reduce stress and improve mood. A study has shown that people who hug trees have lower blood pressure and heart rates.