One of the most symbolic aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic that has so dominated 2020 was the grounding of the world's airlines.
Like Icarus, the figure in Greek legend who made wings, only to fly too close to the sun and fall into the sea and drown, the self-confidence of 21st century society has been given the harshest of reality checks by the forces of nature.
... the way the pandemic has forced people to slow down and discover the simple joys of the world around them is very moving.
Melissa Harrison, Nature diarist for The Times Newspaper
Sealed borders mean people who previously took globe trotting for granted have found themselves grounded, confined and forced to contemplate their immediate surroundings, maybe for the first time.
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But one positive from this is a renewed appreciation of nature and its soothing properties.
Melissa Harrison is a nature diarist for The Times newspaper, noting the sights, sounds and smells of the English countryside. Throughout lockdown, she recorded a weekly podcast, The Stubborn Light of Things, which is also the name of a book of her collected writings.
In the podcast, she talked listeners through the patterns of seasonal change, mixing her observations with music and poetry, for an experience which proved hugely popular among thousands of people worldwide seeking a mental escape from lockdown.
"Where I live, I could walk in the countryside as much as I wanted every day, and other people didn't have that, so I decided to share my good luck with them," she said.
The podcast avoided confronting environmental issues because, she said, people need to love nature before they can address such topics. Its simple, intimate style proved a hit with listeners.
Love for nature
The project was not a commercial venture but, she said, helping people develop a love for nature was its own reward.
"I would never have chosen for it to happen this way, because of the damage it's done. But the way the pandemic has forced people to slow down and discover the simple joys of the world around them is very moving," she said.
People have also been looking for ways to engage more with nature physically, as well as mentally.
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People have taken nature for granted and not realized its benefits. COVID has made them take a step back, evaluate their lives, and realize how getting out in nature is part of a healthier life.
Kristine Boudreau, Manager of Thames Water Hogsmill Nature Reserve, London
Kristine Boudreau is manager of the Thames Water Hogsmill Nature Reserve in suburban Southwest London. Its almost 20 hectares are a designated site of important nature conservation, and home to large numbers of birds, badgers, hedgehogs, butterflies, and protected species of newt and bats.
Since the start of the year, she said, interest in volunteering and membership had risen by more than 20 percent.
"There are definitely more people wanting to get involved in our activities now, sometimes too many," she said.
The restrictions of COVID-19 have made a difference to people's appreciation of their surroundings.
"It's not just here. All the Thames Water reserves have experienced increased interest, and I think it will last," she said.
"People have taken nature for granted and not realized its benefits. COVID has made them take a step back, evaluate their lives, and realize how getting out in nature is part of a healthier life.
"Over the years, our relationship with nature has become so unhealthy and exploitative. This virus is part of nature, so we need to listen to what it's telling us. I'm really hopeful this experience will change how people think about nature. I can't see how it won't."
