Lord of the forest: Tāne Mahuta is more than 50m tall. Photo/Shutterstock
The value of forests: How trees reduce anxiety, boost brain function and help power the planet
Trees are not only life-supporting but also vital to our emotional wellbeing, reducing stress and boosting brain function. Yet they are under siege.
These rainforests are not meant to burn; they have been wet for tens of millions of years. But burning they are. More than a quarter of a million hectares have been scorched by flames and Graham expects thousands more hectares to burn as Australia experiences record-breaking temperatures.
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Australia is just one of a rash of red spots on the Global Forest Watch fires map. From Lebanon to California, from France to Siberia – one of the coldest places on Earth – fires have been destroying
Slow-growing kauri belongs to one of the oldest living conifer families,
Araucariaceae, which has a fossil record stretching back to the dinosaurs. Kauri ancestors seem to have evolved in the Australia-
They also calm our shattered nerves. The ancient Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing” is recommended in self-help manuals and science journals as new research suggests spending time in forests reduces stress and boosts mood, creativity, mental health, immune and co
Back at home, Williams trawled through a wealth of medical data. Increasingly, she says, scientists are quantifying nature’s effects not only on mood and well-being, “but also on our ability to think, to remember things
The value of forests: How trees reduce anxiety, boost brain function and help power the planet
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