Good Nature: Why Seeing, Smelling, Hearing, and Touching Plants Is Good for Our Health

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Product Details
Price
$29.95  $27.85
Publisher
Pegasus Books
Publish Date
Pages
336
Dimensions
6.1 X 9.1 X 1.3 inches | 1.15 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9781639367641

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About the Author
Katherine Willis CBE is Professor of Biodiversity in the department of biology and the principal of St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford. Her research aims to understand how plant biodiversity responds, over time and space, to climate change and other environmental drivers. She is internationally recognized for her work and has led a number of initiatives to assimilate global knowledge on plant biodiversity. Her broadcasting work has included writing and presenting on several BBC television and radio programs. She is the author of Botanicum and was awarded the Michael Faraday Medal for public communication of science from the Royal Society in 2015. Kathy lives in Oxford, England.
Reviews
"Loved it. It should be required reading for anybody who values their health. Her engaging writing can't help but change the way we look at the world and I will be astonished if any reader doesn't change at least some habits to take advantage of the fascinating benefits she so clearly outlines."--John Cherry, founder of Groundswell
"Good Nature is a game-changer--the book that proves how living with plants transforms our lives. Beautifully written, masterfully explained, Kathy Willis reveals the cutting-edge science behind the power of flora to heal and sustain us --from forests to the humble house plant. I defy anyone to read this book and not embrace a life with plants!"--Isabella Tree, author of Wilding
"We've all understood for years that spending time in nature makes us feel better. This brilliant and important book lays out the ground-breaking science behind the feeling. A critical tool arguing for us all to have access to diverse green spaces."--Rosie Boycott, author of Our Farm
"This lucid and entertaining book presents compelling scientific evidence that proves what many of us have perhaps long suspected: nature is really good for us. I found it revelatory."--Richard Deverell, Director of Kew
"When you listen to the rustling of leaves generated by a brisk breeze, sniff a fragrant flower, touch the bark of a tree, or simply gaze at green space, these experiences engender a sense of tranquility. But there is much more happening as our senses engage with nature. Flora appears to be fantastic for human health, mental and physical. Willis, a professor of biodiversity at the University of Oxford, incorporates stimulating research results in her presentation of how sensory interaction with plants benefits our well-being. Willis' passion for plants and advocacy for our 'green senses' bloom throughout the book."--Booklist
Exposure to nature, and plants in particular, can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and boost the immune system, among other benefits, according to this eye-opening survey. Willis offers pragmatic recommendations on how to take advantage of the research findings, suggesting that while 'incorporating real elements of nature such as wood and plants into our homes' provides the strongest boost to physical and mental well-being, images or recordings of natural settings can be used when that's not practical. This fascinates."--Publishers Weekly
"Readers don't have to know anything about plants or have a green thumb to enjoy this title about nature therapy and the impact it can have on one's health. City planners and public health policy makers can benefit from reading this book as well."--Library Journal
"Paleoecologist Kathy Willis explores the surprising physiological and psychological benefits of plants on human health in her entertaining, absorbing Good Nature."
--BookPage, starred review
"The Japanese concept of forest bathing isn't simply a spiritual practice, according to Willis, an Oxford University biodiversity professor who shows that different kinds of contact with plants can affect humans in measurable ways. Maintaining a front garden might increase your mental health; looking at green spaces can raise academic performance. The author hopes for more studies and more data. There's already enough to inspire you to stop and smell the roses."

--Los Angeles Times