[This post supplements Chapter 12] This is a photo of Dr Joëlle Gergis, a person with the praiseworthy courage of her convictions. She is a climate scientist, an award winning author and an internationally recognised expert on climate change. But at the peak of her career, she gave up the prestige and rewards of a […]

[This post supplements Chapter 12] We humans may be the most advanced form of life on Earth, and possibly in the Universe, but we are the only species that has fouled its nest so comprehensively as to threaten its own survival. Humanity has become its own worst enemy bringing upon itself an unprecedented and monumental […]

[This post supplements Chapter 12] I am greatly apprehensive (alarmed is really the better word) about the future that lies ahead for these, my great grandchildren and all young people. I am acutely aware of the long and deep shadow that lies across the path that they will walk in the years ahead. It is […]

In a talk to a U3A (university of the third age) group, I made the point that beauty does not exist in the natural world but is a creation of our brains. Aware the point seems totally at odds with our experience and intuition, I provided an opportunity for comments or questions. One man could […]

[This post complements and extends material in Chapter 11] If you are a parent, grandparent or indeed anyone wanting the best for our children, read on. In this post, I talk about an aspect of children’s well-being that is easily overlooked and undervalued. But permit me to begin on a personal note. The cover image […]

[This post supplements chapter 9 of Connect with Nature] One of the great challenges facing humanity is how to live in harmony with one another, and with other living things. If history and the daily news are any guide, division is humanity’s default condition. ‘Us-and- them’ rather than ‘us-together’ competes strongly to be our species’ […]

(This post updates and extends content in chapters 2, 3, 7, 8 and 10 of Connect with Nature). How good are you at making the most of those events in life that trigger ‘feel-good’ emotions such as joy, gratitude, contentment, awe and inspiration?  When you are looking at natural scenes or objects like the ones in the […]

Boosting the benefits of a walk in nature October 24, 2023 by Les H | Edit [This post supplements the Stop, Pause and Engage (SPE) section of Chapter 2, Connect with Nature] During the last three months, I have been assisting Bushwalking NSW (BWNSW) develop a leadership training course (Bushwalking’ is an Australian version of walking in nature). My […]

(This post supplements Chapter 12 of Connect with Nature). I was delighted to discover that not far from my suburban home there is a healthy colony of koalas, the cuddly marsupials that are among Australia’s most photogenic but endangered animals. The image of a mother koala and her young was taken by the renowned nature […]

(This post can be read in conjunction with Chapter 5 of Connect with Nature) Most people in Australia would recognise Rosie Batty. In recent years, she has become an admired and influential public figure. She was named Australian of the Year in 2015 in recognition of her efforts to raise awareness of the extent, ubiquity […]