As the Amazon, the “lungs” of our planet, burns at a ferocious rate, I am thinking about green spaces and trees – the criticality of their preservation and their many benefits (some beyond the obvious).

Denmark’s University of Aarhus conducted a multi-decade study that concluded exposure to green space – parks, forests, rural lands, etc. – reduces the risk for developing an array of psychiatric disorders during adolescence and adulthood.

Have you heard of “park prescriptions” (doctors in urban areas are increasingly prescribing nature to their young patients)?

Veterans Affairs groups have also discovered the benefits of incorporating outdoor recreation to treat both physical ailments and mental health in their wellness programs.

There is a public health campain underway in Colorado, Nature-RX, to encourage people to replace anti-depressants with more time outdoors (it can yield the same effects!).

Hope you get outside the next few days, take in some fresh air, look up at the trees, and behold the magestic beauty of our natural surroundings!