Natural Destressing

During the coronavirus pandemic lockdown I am going to resurrect my weekly musings and news in the form of a blog which I hope will at least entertain and maybe even sometimes inform.

As you probably know, most of our staff will be furloughed. That is a word rarely heard until recently, but it reminded me of a similar one, turlough, which in ecology we meet more often. A turlough is a seasonal lake, usually found in limestone areas and filled in winter by groundwater where the water table is high – Ireland is well known for them but there is also one in Wales at Pant-y-Llyn near Llandeilo on carboniferous limestone. Because they have unusual botany and zoology, they are of considerable interest to ecologists. 

But I digress. There are few silver linings to the COVID-19 black cloud, but spring is here and if you are fortunate in having a garden or can get out into local greenspace that is not closed, there is a wealth of nature bursting out in the vernal sunshine to study, record, photograph or just admire on your daily outing allowance to help you relax and take your mind off social isolation. Indeed, where there are now no crowds, nature is taking advantage of the relative peace, on beaches, in woodlands and waysides. Birds are singing (why not learn their calls? – there are several apps you can download) and spring flowers are everywhere. Refresh your body and mind by soaking up the beauty and wonders of the natural world.  It really works. 

The spring wildflowers in abundance just now include blackthorn, primroses, wood anemones, cowslips, goat (or pussy) willow, gorse, wood spurge, common dog-violet and field forget-me-not, and of course there are many garden plants in flower too – daffodils, crocuses, early tulips, grape hyacinths, forsythia, viburnums, camellias, cherries, Japanese quince and many more. Stand for a few minutes by any of these and you will see bees and other pollinating insects eager to feed on them. 

If you can’t get out into a garden or greenspace, think about having a little nature inside – but more on that next time.