How nature helps us
How
nature helps us
“Being out in nature with a camera in my hand became my therapy.”
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From walking the pathways of cobbled coastlines to the tune of the sea birds calling out, to getting lost in ancient woodland, noticing the colourful display of flowers while you hear the rustle of little animals in their hidden wilderness, nature nurtures you. Evidence has shown that spending time in nature alleviates stress and provides a much-needed outlet for many of life’s pressures.
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t Essex Wildlife Trust, we are all about helping nature. It is important, however, to consider how nature helps us.
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Alfie Bowen is a 24-year-old wildlife photographer, author and activist living with autism spectrum disorder in East Anglia. We spoke to Alfie, whose passion for wildlife has not only pathed the way for his career but helped him overcome the obstacles he once faced.
Hi Alfie, thanks for speaking to us today! We’d love to know; how and why did you get into wildlife photography? I first picked up a camera aged 16 as another way to satisfy my life-long obsession with animals - I had grown tired of reading the same books or re-watching television programmes, so I resorted to my mum’s little Lumix compact camera and began to take photographs. My connection with the camera grew as I faced severe bullying at school; it quickly became an outlet for my pent-up emotions. Being out in nature with a camera in my hand became my therapy and my main source of solace.
We love that idea - nature as therapy. What do you think nature has to offer people? Nature is our shared home and offers us so much. Get out and explore your local patch and you’ll discover so much beauty, it’ll benefit your mental health, and help keep you active. Whether it is catching sight of a soaring swift or watching the tinges of ambers and blacks decorating the red admiral butterfly’s delicate wings as it flutters past, noticing nature can bring people great comfort.
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WILD SUMMER 2022
