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Published on Visualizing Ecology (http://www2.evergreen.edu/visecofall)

Levi Ponce

Louv's Idea that nature is essential in human development throughout ones entire life is one that has crossed my mind several times. The most obvious point he tries to convey in Last Child in the Woods is that in order to live an optimally healthy life we need nature. Although the reading seemed a bit repetative in certain places of the book, (this is a problem and this is evidence of why children and/or all of us need nature) It was this repetition that drove the point home. While reading this book I noticed that many of the stories contain advice and information that can be applied to my life right now.

The author presents a sample from DH lawrence about the "know it all" state of mind that many people seem to share in varying degrees. Lawrence goes on to explain how since we can travel anywhere and read or learn about almost anything that its almost as if we have become jaded by the world. We believe that everything is discovered and known, that the universe holds little mystery anymore. He goes on to explain that those who came before us that were limited in travel and information actually knew more that we do now. They continued to be open to new information and since they were bound to a smaller area they truly got to know that place. How it worked. How they could help their surroundings and how their surroundings could help them. This can be applied to my own life in removing the attitude I had about the world and the feeling that there is little more to know that hasn't already been discovered.The passage was reminiscent of The beginners mind paper we read last week.

Another, and one of the more interesting section of the book, was when Louve spoke to a mother and daughter. The mother had the same view as Louve did in believing that nature is necessary for ideal childhood development. She explained how she taught her daughter that with the help of natural environments we can learn that the world is not just what we see. There is so much going on that our senses cannot tell us. The sounds of a creature not stirring is the name of the game in which the mother and daughter think of all that is happening around the that they cannot hear. The list includes earthworms digging through earth and leaves changing color. On my own walks through the woods I now think of these things. The ever so slow growth of a tree skyward and the wind flowing through the feathers of gliding birds are things I never thought about, at least in the sense that it is constantly happening.

When it comes to looking towards the future the author is generally optimistic, claiming, "One can imagine such (ecological) theory applied to entire urban regions, with natural corridors for wildlife extending deep into urban regions and psyche, Creating and entirely new environment in which children grow up and adults grow old - Where the nature deficit is replaced with nature abundance." This sounds like a good thing but with the way most people, at least in this culture, view nature I don't see this happening. Just the amount of money the land would be worth makes me think that it wouldn't even be considered an option besides maybe a park that would be built, not natural. Louv's ideas for the future are hopeful and the idea of a green city or town is something that is truly intriguing. I believe that humans will someday realize the importance of real life. Unfortunately I just think its going to get worse before we realize how necessary it is in order to live like we are truly alive.

‹ Harmony Lawrence [0]

Source URL:
http://www2.evergreen.edu/visecofall/visecofall/levi-ponce