How important is it to be in contact with nature? 

For many of us with busy lives it can be a rare opportunity to sit for a few moments beneath the canopy of an old oak tree or to wander along the banks of a small stream. The natural world is closed to a lot of us yet, even for those of us in urban environments, nature is where we were born. Ian Carter, in his book Rhythms of Nature ,points out just how important it is for all of us to find some space in our lives to regain the contact we have lost with nature.

Research suggests that unless we are able to develop a relationship with the wild world in our childhood it unlikely to be something we will pursue in our later years. Contact with nature in our formative years is vital. For Ian his fascination with the natural world began early when he was able to explore nature around his home.

In Ian’s words

I belonged to the very last (very lucky) generation of children allowed to explore the local countryside on our own terms. At first, this wasn’t driven by an interest in nature. The countryside was simply a place to play. There wasn’t much else to do and staying indoors all day held little appeal. Those days have gone forever. Most kids today would rather be inside, and even if they wanted to explore their local environment, it wouldn’t be allowed. They connect to the wider world in a way we couldn’t possibly have imagined. But, without knowing it, they have lost so much; parentally guided visits to well-managed nature reserves provide only part of the experience.  

Gradually, wildlife started to become more than merely a backdrop to time spent in the woods and fields. I was given Gerald Durrell’s The Amateur Naturalist with its double-page spreads of found objects from the countryside; one for each different habitat. And then the Reader’s Digest Birds of Britain which helped me make sense of the local birdlife. Wryneck and Red-backed Shrike got a full page each, and I wondered why I never saw them. Little Egret and Cetti’s Warbler barely merited a mention. Those books had a profound impact on my life and even now, I still look through them occasionally.

Ian highlights how important engaging a child’s imagination can be in forming a lifelong love of wild places. Both he and I enjoy the glimpses we get of wild creatures like otter, pine marten and Barn owls. There is no true wilderness left in Britain, even in our remotest places the hand of man has shaped the landscape. It is still possible to see glimpses of what I describe a wildness. The creatures I just described my live in the margins of our world but never the less when we see them we are looking at animals whose lives are totally wild.

Ian talks about his latest book.

Rhythms of Nature charts the way I’ve become increasingly drawn to places that are free-willed and wild. The ‘neglected’ woods and forgotten corners where the more-than-human world comes to the fore and natural processes have space to play out. Why do these places hold so much more appeal than nature reserves? And how can we hope to protect them when they are so little visited and appreciated? Wildlife is always there whether out in the countryside, in the garden or even inside the house. Often, it’s the most unexpected moments that stand out – and find their way into the book. Open the back door for the cat on a cool November evening and who knows what might fly in to join you.    

Like all of us Ian is worried about the future of our planet but he is optimistic.

It’s often said we are ‘wrecking the planet’ but, despite our excesses, the planet will be fine. Considered on a long enough timescale, what we do today is all but irrelevant. There have been mass extinctions before and they will happen again, perhaps many times, no matter what humans get up to. That mustn’t be used an excuse for inaction, but I find it oddly reassuring. It makes it easier to enjoy watching wildlife, never mind what might (or might not) happen in future. We are here now, and wildlife still manages to live alongside us, despite everything. We should make the most of it, for as long as we are able to do so.

Ian and I chatted about our love of being out in nature after dark in my podcast Outdoors In Scotland. Night time is a special time in the wild. Rarely seen creatures emerge from hiding and, because we lose much of our power to use sight, our other sense become more acute. This is one of the reasons I love to wild camp and sleep in remote bothies. Rhythms of Nature introduces us to a secret world that exists in the shadows all around us and that everyone can enjoy.