The Importance of Nature, Green Spaces, and Gardens in Human Well-Being

Abstract Comparing the nature encounters of Gerald Durrell with our current climate of 'stranger danger', health and safety neurosis, and the beguilement and blunting of the senses by technological advances presents a worrying picture of a new era of nature and culture deprivation. However, even in the most unlikely places, a rich engagement with nature can be rekindled. Central to such recovery is access to nearby nature that allows practical engagement rather than merely detached on-looking. In my conclusion I outline examples where this has been made possible in the challenging settings of socially deprived urban areas. Acknowledgements I would like to thank the referees for their helpful comments on the initial version of this paper. Notes Notes 1 His Mother responding to the suggestion that it is just a phase is reported as saying: 'He's been in this phase from the age of two' (Durrell, Citation2006, p. 62). 2 Durrell, Citation2006, p. 161. 3 Durrell, Citation2006, p. 42. 4 Durrell, Citation1974, p. 73. 5 Durrell, Citation2006, p. 71. 6 Durrell, Citation2006, p. 44. 7 Durrell, Citation2006, p. 84. 8 Durrell, Citation1974, p. 52. 9 Durrell, Citation2006, p. 36. 10 Durrell, Citation1974, p. 55. 11 Durrell, Citation1974, p. 111. 12 See Kaplan, Citation1992. 13 Lewis, Citation1996, p. 74. 14 Kaplan, 2006, p. 354. 49 Ransome, Citation2001. 50 Kuo O'Neill, Citation2008, p. 139. 64 Available at http: //www. universityofthetrees. org/ (accessed 1 June 2010). 65 Sacks, Citation2010. Available at http: //www. universityofthetrees. org/ (accessed 1 June 2010). 66 Kondorfer, Citation2010. Available at http: //www. engage. org/projects/files/JKorndorfer. pdf (accessed 3 June 2010). 67 Brook, Citation2010. 68 Kaplan, Kaplan, van Herzele, Collins, CABE, 2007.