Even in the pandemic, nature doesn’t have the time to breathe

Studies have shown that being exposed to nature relieves stress caused by the Stay-At-Home orders issued since the beginning of the pandemic.

Enrique Liganor/The Skyline View

By Monica Grace Dollezon-Yu

Staff Contributor @queenofsubtlety

“I had never seen poison oak as overgrown and huge as it was last month!”

Rachel Cunningham, geography instructor at Skyline College and co-advisor of the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society at the College of San Mateo (CSM), expressed what she encountered during her hike at the Monarch Trail last month at Santa Cruz. She witnessed a poison oak, which is a California native plant, that had grown massively.

“I don’t know the exact reason why, but I wonder if parks are cutting back on staff going out and maintaining trails due to the pandemic,” Cunningham said.

An environmental psychology article from Frontiers studies the nature and individual’s responses to the pandemic. The study suggests that respondents frequently agreed that the coronavirus instigated “the reduction of negative environmental impact”, such as less pollution. However, a perspective from the article counters one side of that theme by arguing, “while we urgently need to reduce our CO2 emissions, a pandemic is not a solution to climate change.”

Additionally, an article from Los Angeles Magazine tackles the wildlife occupying spaces in national parks and stated their belief in the policy of “limiting the number of people allowed to enter parks” could be effective enough to allow both animal and plant species to thrive in their habitat.

“Certainly, there have been positive impacts on natural ecosystems from the periods of time where humans sheltered inside and did not travel as much,” Anne Gearhart, a biology professor from CSM, explained. “However, many of those changes will be temporary unless we consider how to live in conjunction with nature going forward.”

Until time could tell when the COVID-19 is completely lifted, to what extent could people enjoy being with nature without disrupting the balance of forces in the natural environment? In tackling this issue, there are more concerning forces in the works related to the emergence of the virus.

Human interaction with nature during the pandemic

The now common motivation of more individuals becoming more engaged with outdoor activities in nature is related towards psychological behaviors. The shelter-in-place measures evidently caused individuals at home to experience mental distress, depression, anxiety, fatigue, procrastination, etc. An article from the United Nations University (UNU), UN’s research arm, indicates that people being exposed to urban green areas have positive impacts on health and that interaction with nature helps them better recover from stress.

Survey results from a Medical News Today article have indicated that there was increased engagement for outdoor activities such as gardening, hiking, relaxing outdoors socially, relaxing alone outdoors, walking and wildlife watching. The benefits of engaging in those activities were also documented, such as experiencing improved mental health and well-being, getting exercise, appreciating nature’s beauty and feeling a connection to something bigger than themselves. Cunningham made some comments about the article’s findings of the participants’ responses.

“I think rather than increasing human interaction with nature, pandemic regulations have increased appreciation of nature for those who have the time, energy, access to be outdoors,” Cunningham said and considered another factor dodged in the reference provided. “I’m glad the article clarified their sample size was very homogenous — very white, middle class, fairly rural, and middle aged. This sample size doesn’t speak for the whole population.”

She also pointed out how everyone does not “have quality access to nature”, especially with essential workers and their work, which may not have given them the time or energy to go outdoors.

With gyms closed and social engagements cancelled, Cunningham would resort, or mentally scold herself, to go outside for a walk around her neighborhood if that means spending time away from being stuck 10 hours in front of the computer. “I definitely agree with the article that the pandemic regulations have caused humans to go for more walks and use the outdoors for exercise!” Cunningham said.

Referring back to the article from Frontiers studies, the concept of “nature connectedness” was mentioned, wherein nature acts as an extension of an individual’s identity and also serves to achieve better understanding of oneself through nature. Furthermore, the individual who strongly grasps this concept is “more likely to engage in nature-protective behaviors”.

“There are complicated population dynamics and epidemiological factors at work. At the same time, time in nature is extremely healing for people,” Gearhart said. “Really watching something wild or growing can help you come to love it and be fascinated with it.”

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) wants to create more opportunities for people to gain more exposure and foster more appreciation for nature.

“Providing opportunities for people to connect with nature is one way to help build personal connections to the natural environment that can spark care for the natural environment today and into the future,” said Leigh Ann Gessner, public affairs specialist of Midpen.

How the natural environment flourished during the pandemic

In disagreement with the lockdown protocol, another study by Nature Portfolio suggests that the pandemic is not a permanent solution for the restoration of ecological systems.

Gearhart emphasized how changes in plant or animal species would happen over generations. The 14 month lockdown during this pandemic does not allow a direct positive impact on the environment and its inhabitants.

“In fact, this time where there has been less oversight on ecological management has resulted in environmental damage, especially in rural places where people may have returned after losing urban jobs during the pandemic,” Gearhart said. “Also, restrictions on travel and lockdown procedures have meant that many researchers have not been able to be in the field, something which would be necessary to find and describe new species.” Additionally, the same article from Nature Portfolio indicates that the pandemic has more consequential effects on nature and wildlife. Urban-dwelling animals are interdependent on food scraps discarded by humans, which is almost impossible due to the shelter-in-place measures. Resident wildlife are forced to relocate from their usual places, endangered species become more exposed to poaching and persecution and “economic hardship may force increased exploitation of natural resources” in low-income countries.

“Transmission of zoonotic disease, including SARS CoV2, is more likely whenever humans and animals are in more direct contact,” Gearhart said. “As our human populations increase, and we encroach on habitat of other species, we are likely to see an increase in zoonotic infections.”

Gearhart also shared a 2016 paper by Barbara Han and colleagues, researchers from CellPress, who studied how zoonotic infections were most likely transmitted from animal reservoirs of bats, rodents and carnivores in regions outside of the U.S.A.

According to the website Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, zoonotic diseases or zoonoses are harmful germs transmitted between humans and animals interchangeably, causing illnesses which may be mild or fatal.

Will the relationship between people and nature change once COVID-19 is history?

“But once restrictions are lifted and folks are able to get back to the gym, the movie theatre, to sports bar — in 5 years, will humans still have a stronger appreciation for nature than they did before the pandemic?” Cunningham said. “Or will we forget about that time in 2020 that a walk outdoors was the only thing keeping our mental health even a little bit in balance?”

Reconnecting with nature through leisure engagement wouldn’t be enough without raising awareness for industrial and global threats against the environment and triggering diseases spreading among human and animal interaction.

“Humans tend to fall back into old habits,” Cunningham said with a sigh.

Conservation International, a world-wide environmental organization, said that global awareness and efforts are required to diminish unethical practices, such as deforestation and illegal wildlife trade, for the restoration of ecosystems. The team at Midpen are already part of the efforts to restore the balance between factors that make up a healthy ecosystem.

“At Midpen, our mission includes protecting and restoring the natural environment and providing the public with opportunities for ecologically sensitive enjoyment and education,” Gessner said. “When we plan trails, we look very carefully at what sensitive plants, animals, waterways or geologic features might be affected and build the trail accordingly.”

Gearhart previously had a discussion with other of her biologist friends and they all suspected there could be pandemics that will occur in the 21st century. She mentioned that biologists and epidemiologists are further researching this current pandemic to better prepare them for the next one in the future.

“The issues of human population, biodiversity loss, climate change and health of all beings are tightly linked,” Gearhart said. “We need people who can think of innovative ways for us to solve all of these problems. You don’t have to be a biologist to appreciate nature, or to work with others on policies or projects that help protect it.”

The call to action for protecting the environment shouldn’t be optional. People are suffering from the consequences of the damage done on the planet called home because of the lack of awareness and education. If society is going to return to normal, everyone collectively must learn to take the habit of eco-friendly and sustainable practices.

“We have a real opportunity post-COVID to reconsider how we value the nature around us,” Gearhart said. “In the US, there has been a strong value towards home ownership. Perhaps in the future we will value owning land to preserve it, for our physical and mental health, and instead live in higher density communities.”