This could be a resolution for the new year: put aside the screens to rediscover the pleasure – and the virtues – of walks in the forest or by the sea. This is the objective of the ReconnectNature association which has just been created in La Seyne, where she lives, Kalliopi Prud'homme, doctor in sustainable development.
This expert, who has worked for more than fifteen years on European and international cooperation projects, was advisor to the Greek Minister of the Environment, and collaborated with the University of Toulon and that of Aix-Marseille where she was operational director of the Institute of Ocean Sciences. With an international network, it brought together a group of French, English, Swiss, Greek and American teachers and scientists, all convinced of the importance of renewing links between individuals and nature. Explanations.
Why did you decide to create this association?
The trigger came recently when my 12-year-old son asked me: “What are we humans for if artificial intelligence can do everything better than us who are destroying our planet?” “. I said to myself that it was time to put in place initiatives intended to promote what I have believed in for a long time: rediscovering the link between individuals and nature allows us to develop creativity and self-confidence, to strengthen the capacity to overcome challenges and thrive physically, mentally and emotionally.
What is your thinking based on?
Numerous studies show that children aged 5 to 12 spend twice as much time in front of screens as playing outside (with a global average of 4.5 hours per day for young people aged 10 to 19). This leads to worrying physical inactivity (37% of children aged 6 to 10 and 73% of young people aged 11 to 17 do not meet recommendations for physical activity). We also observe that a third of children aged 8 to 12 are no longer able to distinguish a fig from a zucchini or a leek, showing a growing disconnection with the nature and origin of food products. We also see that children who grow up without access to nature are more likely to develop anxiety, depression and difficulty concentrating.
What are the benefits of “reconnecting” with nature?
On a physical level, playing sports, climbing trees or building a cabin allows children to develop motor and manual skills. Studies also show that a simple walk in the forest, thanks to walking and breathing the particles emitted by plants, relieves stress. Just like the seaside promenade.
For young children, spending time outdoors, observing the seasons, understanding the cycles of life is beneficial for the nervous system, scientists say. Conversely, staying indoors can weaken our body by not allowing the immune system to properly develop or our microbiota to be enriched through contact with bacteria.
You say that reconnecting with nature allows us to confront climate and societal changes “with creativity and confidence”. For what ?
Spending time in nature is seeing the capacity it has to regenerate, to demonstrate resilience. And then we learn the notions of symbiosis and cooperation between species, we understand that we are part of ecosystems much larger than us and that we must preserve.
Have other countries experimented with the behaviors you recommend?
Yes, for example in England, the University of Derby has experimented for years with initiatives to reconnect with nature which are now recommended in schools. Furthermore, in Scandinavian countries, among the learning objectives in kindergarten, a child must know how to climb a 3-meter tree. These countries also have the custom of bathing young children in ice water to develop their resilience skills.
What type of actions will you develop?
Over time, we will offer immersive and inspiring experiences in the great outdoors, inclusive educational programs, as well as artistic and cultural projects, in La Seyne and throughout the Var.
Our scientific committee also aims to become a lobby to influence leaders and issue recommendations for the well-being of children and the elderly who can also benefit from the connection rediscovered with nature. Furthermore, we are open to any collaboration with schools, social centers and nursing homes who wish to engage in this dynamic and co-construct actions to reconnect with nature with scientists.
Contact association ReconnectNature : 06.34.90.58.85
