BST bolsters our bond with nature

Don’t think of the clocks going forward as losing an hour’s sleep – a few more minutes of sunshine can change us for the better Many people moan like mad at the thought of losing an hour’s sleep. I do. But the move to British Summer Time is actually about opportunity, not loss. One can mitigate for sleep deprivation by going to bed progressively earlier during the week leading up to the clock change, even if that means shortening time spent drifting off in front of the TV. The complainants are surely providing an example of folk being ridiculous. The advent of British Summer Time enables us to strengthen our relationship with nature. The longer evenings allow us to do a little in the garden – without sacrificing a chunk of precious weekend, or wander through the park or woods to experience the subtle daily changes of spring, and to get home without suffering brain-damage-by-headlight-glare. Our relationship with nature has waned so much, in the main due to sublimation by technology, that we’ve invented a new, narrower term for it – “biodiversity” – as a way of reducing it down into something that fits the modern idiolect, and which excludes us from it. TIn fact, nature includes us and we can have a relationship with it. There is growing evidence that a dose of nature is seriously good for us – physically, mentally and dare I say it, spiritually. A few minutes of sunshine and green leaves can change our day for the better, and can help us sleep – assuming the eructation of mad March frogs in the garden pond (or late night car door slamming) permit it. The problem is that none of this fits in comfortably with the modern obsession of measuring everything. But nature doesn’t do targets, monitoring and reporting, as the biodiversity enthusiasts will duly find. Then there are those beastly birds that wake us at dawn. But surely they are preferable to an alarm clock, or to one’s partner’s snoring? And of what do they sing? Why not listen to them and work it out for yourself. The dusk chorus is easier for us to cope with than its dawn equivalent, so just try listening to your local blackbird one evening (mine is called Percy Bysshe) – you should be able to hear him above the traffic. We’re talking of five minutes of your time. If you can’t face that, listen to it online . Above all, the changing of the clocks announces the end of winter (although April snow is not uncommon) and, better still, provides us with the chance to immerse ourselves in spring. And spring is all about radical positive change and the promise of summer. It should have a capital S. Our great outdoors – garden and countryside – transforms itself over a few short weeks, allowing us the chance to change with it. This spring I’ve launched my own personal campaign, called must change my life. I’m tweeting the highlights . The campaign’s about enhancing my personal relationship with nature, and sharing it. It’s not about pursuit of knowledge but depth of experience. Best of all, although spring is notoriously variable, this spring seems to be winding itself up spectacularly – trees, butterflies, primroses, daffodils, birds, frogs et al. Now is the time to seize the moment and explore the great outdoors, and deepen your relationship. Then bring on the great British summer. Matthew Oates is a nature conservation adviser and butterfly expert for the National Trust Biodiversity Birds Wildlife Conservation guardian.co.uk

Posted by on March 25, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.