By Patricia Lindquist, DNR urban forestry communications specialist, Madison, Patricia.Lindquist@wisconsin.gov, 608-843-6248
“What is it about this place?” I wondered. “Why does this city feel so harsh, so disheartening?”
Two hours earlier I had stepped off a train in Patna, India, and I’d been stuck in a massive traffic jam ever since. Honking cars, motorcycles, buses, bicycles, rickshaws, and livestock hemmed me in, but after nearly two months in India, this was nothing new.
Rup, my husband at the time (we are now divorced) is from Calcutta, and I’d grown to love his hometown. Despite the massive cultural differences and sheer size of the city (population: 14 million), I’d warmed up to the place immediately. Calcutta felt welcoming from the moment I arrived; Patna did not. After only two hours in Patna, my nerves were frazzled, I had a headache, and I just wanted to escape.
Continue reading “Reflections from my travels in India: the health benefits of trees”
Are you going stir-crazy stuck inside your house or apartment? Take a visit to the forest outside your door! Step outside to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the trees and nature around you. It’s good for your mind, body and soul. Research shows exposure to nature reduces depression, anxiety and stress! Plus, we all know physical activity keeps your body healthy and boosts your mood. 
Looking for some hard numbers on how urban trees affect health conditions such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and ADHD? 
Now more than ever, trees and forests are a vital component of healthy, livable, and sustainable communities, in the U.S. and around the globe. Along with its partners such as the Wisconsin DNR, the Arbor Day Foundation is seeking ways to link together those that plant and tend urban trees and forests for the benefit of humankind.
