1. Seeds of Change: Integrative Community Approaches to Remedy Nature Deficient Americans 1
Seeds of Change: Integrative Community Approaches to Remedy Nature Deficient Populations
Kelly Duckert
University of Nebraska Omaha

2. Seeds of Change: Integrative Community Approaches to Remedy Nature Deficient Americans 2
Nature. If you are like most Americans these days, you don’t get enough of it. Between
busy jobs, more people than ever pursuing continued education through online or night classes,
raising families or just tending to the everyday chores, there is usually little time left to relax, let
alone step outside and smell the roses. Unfortunately, it is usually the most necessary of human
needs that get pushed to the wayside when time is limited. Time in nature usually makes the
bottom of the list. To further complicate the matter, nature is becoming a rare commodity. As
urban development continues to swallow up many of the open spaces often destroying natural
ecosystems in its path, little space is designated to simply let life do its thing. As progress
marches on, we are left with problems in its wake. More people than ever struggle with health
ailments that could easily be remedied with more time spent outside such as weight issues,
depression, anxiety, and ruminating thoughts. Local food sourcing is rarely promoted, and many
would still rather buy tomatoes imported from Mexico than to grow them in their own backyard.
Humans require a pivotal shift in order to remedy our personal health, the health of our
communities and to foster a bright future for generations to come. Getting back to our roots is
entirely possible, it simply requires stepping back into nature and making it more available in our
everyday lives. By examining three theories, Nature Deficit Disorder, Environmental
Generational Amnesia, and Biophilia we can shed light on the issues at hand and find simple
community-based approaches to aid in our well-being.
Part One: Why the young (and the rest of us) need nature
In his book Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv describes a new kind of 21th century
ailment he calls “Nature Deficit Disorder”. “Society is telling kids unconsciously that nature's in
the past. It really doesn't count anymore, that the future is in electronics, and besides, the
bogeyman is in the woods” (Inskeep) Louv argues that human beings, especially children, are

3. Seeds of Change: Integrative Community Approaches to Remedy Nature Deficient Americans 3
spending less time outdoors, which is resulting in a wide range of behavioral problems. An
expanding body of scientific evidence suggests that nature-deficit disorder contributes to a
diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, conditions of obesity, and higher rates of
emotional and physical illnesses. Research also suggests that the nature-deficit weakens
ecological literacy and stewardship of the natural world (Home). Louv describes nature-deficit
disorder not as a medical diagnosis, but rather a description of the human costs of alienation
from the natural world. The “children” described in this 2005 book have likely grown up, many
developing without connections to the natural world. This is a true problem for fields of health,
environmental activism, and nature-focused design. Conversely, research suggests that the
benefits of children having positive experiences with the natural world include an increased
sense of wonder, creativity, observation skills, and environmental awareness.
A similar human-nature separation paradigm is known as Environmental Generational
Amnesia, the shifting baseline for what is considered a normal environmental condition as it
continues to degrade.
As environmental degradation continues, the baseline continues to shift with each
ensuing generation, each perceiving this degraded condition as the norm or non-degraded
condition. This shifting baseline varies across cultures, geographic regions and sub-
groups (Kahn, 2009), influencing environmental stewardship, proximity and access to
nature and the biophilic experience. Helping a community to understand what their home
looked like when it was a healthy, intact ecosystem is one way of making a Connection
with Natural Systems and will hopefully help foster and frame the importance of other
areas of environmental quality (14 Patterns).

4. Seeds of Change: Integrative Community Approaches to Remedy Nature Deficient Americans 4
It’s hard to know what one is missing when there are no pieces of the puzzle to pick up. People
who grow up in an urban environment disembodied from their native ecosystem, who believe
that all food comes from the grocery store, or worse, the nearest fast food joint, are likely to
suffer the negative consequences of a nature-less life as well as the negative health impacts of
poor lifestyle options. Sadly, there are many people in our communities with this existence and
little hope or awareness of better choices. One way to remedy nature deficit disorders and to
promote stronger human-nature connections is to incorporate communal areas for nature
immersion with access to community gardens for growing food.
Part Two: Integrating nature into community spaces
The need for nature comes the term “biophilia”. Introduced and popularized by Edward
Wilson in his book Biophilia, this term is used to describe humankind’s innate biological
connection with nature. It is "the urge to affiliate with other forms of life” (Wilson). Wilson
argues that this is the very essence of our humanity and binds us to all other living things.
Biophilia may also help explain why some urban parks and buildings are preferred over others.
“It helps explain why crackling fires and crashing waves captivate us; why a garden view can
enhance our creativity; why shadows and heights instill fascination and fear; and why animal
companionship and strolling through a park have restorative, healing effects” (14 Patterns of
Biophilic Design). It is in our nature, arguably our DNA, to desire natural spaces to seek refuge
in. Likely this preference also is derived from our need to support ourselves with food. Healthy
natural areas equate to adequate space and an environment that supports food production. To
completely remove our access to these things would likely have negative psychological and
physical consequences, even if we do have grocery stores around every corner in modern society.

5. Seeds of Change: Integrative Community Approaches to Remedy Nature Deficient Americans 5
As a rising percentage of the spaces we encounter on a daily basis are designed by
architects, engineers, and developers, it is increasingly important to have deliberate and
designated areas for nature refuge and food sourcing. A rising trend such as that in the Low
Impact Development (LID) community aims to retain local ecosystems when designing
neighborhoods and other developed areas to manage storm water runoff. LID emphasizes
conservation and use of on-site natural features to protect water quality. This includes
using native and zone specific plants in landscaping and incorporate low impact technologies
such as permeable pavement and innovative storm drain systems. By designing neighborhoods
with these concerns in mind, natural spaces would likely be preserved, providing adequate
spaces for nature immersion and thus preventing many of the negative health and cognitive
effects seen in nature deficient populations.
Other specifically designated areas such as community gardens are an excellent way to
promote health and increase time in nature. Community gardens are often the most realistic way
for children, teens, and adults to get nature exposure and learn to make positive food associations
on a regular basis. These types of gardens can provide space and tools for some populations who
might otherwise be unable to grow food or spend time outside. Educational opportunities are also
bottomless as curriculum can be developed on a multitude of topics, such as science, art, and
health to name a few.
Though progress has allowed many amazing advances in society, there are some key
things that were displaced along the way. It is often by learning how things went wrong that we
truly learn to correct our mistakes and grow from them. After decades of research, the scientific
world is moving closer to pinpointing how exposure to nature seems to promote well-being
(Briggs). By examining Nature Deficit Disorder, Environmental Generational Amnesia, and

6. Seeds of Change: Integrative Community Approaches to Remedy Nature Deficient Americans 6
Biophilia we are better able to understand our societal needs and develop community-based
approaches which promote wellness.

7. Seeds of Change: Integrative Community Approaches to Remedy Nature Deficient Americans 7
References
14 Patterns of Biophilic Design - Terrapin Bright Green. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2016, from
http://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/report/14-patterns/
Briggs, H. (n.d.). Can you prescribe nature? Retrieved May 06, 2016, from
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-33368691
Home. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2016, from http://www.childrenandnature.org/
Inskeep, S., & Louv, R. (2005, May 5). Saving Kids from 'Nature Deficit Disorder' Retrieved
April 20, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4665933
Louv, R. (2005). Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder.
Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
Wilson, E. O. (1984). Biophilia. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.