An initiative from the Missouri Department of Conservation invites people of all ages to connect with the outdoors or find their way back outside through a number of activities and multi-media opportunities.
Never Lose Touch provides encouragement to people who remember halcyon days in the woods or on the water, and anyone who has watched the wild from afar. Suggestions to get started include new media like smartphone apps, a podcast, a Spotify playlist, and a YouTube channel.
The program is not all electronics-based. Traditional avenues like the free Missouri Conservationist magazine and Discover Nature educational events are still key components. Some hands-on suggestions for maintaining connection with the outdoors include landscaping with native plants and nature journaling.
At the heart of the Never Lose Touch concept are the many health benefits of enjoying the outdoors. The state Department of Conservation program announcement recommends a daily dose of nature “to refresh and de-stress” with perceived or proven benefits.
Advantages from visiting a park, the woods, or even your own backyard include reduced blood pressure, a healthier heart rate, and lessened muscle tension; an escape from busy schedules, which provides a sense of calm and well-being; a brain boost from the fresh air that can be “comparable to a cup of coffee;” and a hike in the woods that can increase attention span and problem-solving skills, the archived Conservationist article states.
Our ever-present smartphones make capturing images of our outings easier than ever. Conservation department photographer David Stonner offers tips to take better pictures:
“The golden hour is right around sunrise or sunset when the light drops low in the sky,” he says. “Everything starts to glow and the shadows are not as harsh. So searching out the right light and interesting angle on your subject is far more important.”
Another suggestion from the state announcement of the program is a relatively new Japanese custom that sounds more like an ancient ritual. Forest bathing dates to the 1980s and it is about unplugging and breathing in the natural world around you.
“The key is to find a quiet spot to yourself. Take some slow, deep breaths. Clear your mind of distractions and use your senses to take in the sounds, smells, and sights of nature – everything from the daylight streaming through the trees to velvety moss on the rocks and the chatter of birds and other wildlife. Relax and let nature wash over you.”
Jefferson County is blessed by multiple places that make for quick escapes to the outdoors. Peaceful, forested areas can be found at city parks in Arnold, De Soto, Festus, Herculaneum and Hillsboro. Mastodon State Historic Site in Imperial includes a wildflower area, creek-side habitat and glorious high ground for hiking.
Don Robinson State Park in Cedar Hill is almost all woods with great trails that can take you far away from the daily grind. Labarque Creek, Hilda J. Young, and the Myron and Sonya Glassberg Family conservation areas in the northwest corner of the county extend the area of mostly unspoiled woods from Cedar Hill to the Meramec River.
Although they can get busy anytime of the year, the Valley View and Victoria Glades natural areas near Hillsboro provide peaceful isolation most days of the week. Their shared topography make the places unique, and the expansive scenic views are perfect for soaking up the real world.
Whether your outdoor experiences are memories from a long ago childhood, or you are looking to connect with nature for the first time, your mental and physical well-being can be linked to keeping in touch.
John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas for the Leader outdoor news page, e-mail ogmjohnw@aol.com, and you can find more outdoor news and updates at johnjwink.com.