from University of Vermont
There are so many tragic facets of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is hard to find any positive side-effect. We did find one. Researchers at the University of Vermont noticed a large increase in visitors to urban forests and parks, and when they looked closer, found twenty-six percent of people visiting parks had rarely—or never—visited nature in the previous year. The most common reasons given were just getting outside, exercising, dog walking or just finding peace and quiet as a safe escape from the restrictions brought on by the pandemic. Author of the Vermont study, Nelson Grima says natural areas and their budgets should be safeguarded to maintain human well-being in times of crisis.