Conservationists need hope despite the gloom

[Dr Martin Williams [account from Drupal site]]

Worthwhile article on trying to be realistic but not too darn depressing; includes this, which is worth remembering…

Time in nature can be an antidote to pessimism because of the well-documented effects of nature on mental health. That effect should be especially pronounced in conservationists, who presumably came to this field out of a profound love for nature, and in almost all instance that love for nature stemmed from time spent in nature. Meaningful time in nature is a vanishing commodity, as society moves away from nature in the Information Age or the Video Age. Or, in the case of conservationists, perhaps the Paperwork Age (digital or on dead processed trees).

Time in nature can have powerful restorative results, and is well known for its ability to lift spirits. The public at large can benefit from better physical and mental health, conservation can benefit from recruitment of more people to their cause, and professional conservations can remember why they got involved in the movement in the first place, providing powerful motivation to keep up the effort, and, perhaps, cultivating a bit more hope themselves.

Why conservationists need a little hope: saving themselves from becoming the most depressing scientists on the planet

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