Gift your children lifelong love of nature

Local Barnes resident Natalie Cooper, author of ‘Forest Whispers – retreat in nature’, and mother of 11-year-old son Finley, explores how the Green Barnes Ponder team at the BCA, want to help families learn more about our natural environment – setting healthy habits for children to understand more about our local biodiversity of the common land and nature reserves such as Leg of Mutton – from a young age.

How often do you tune into nature?

The BCA would like to encourage families and children to really notice our green spaces this spring and summer; the plants, wildlife, trees and riverside. Did you know there is an army of volunteers that garden and tend to the commons, as well as clean up the litter by the riverside, every week? There are plenty of health benefits and volunteering opportunities for your family and children to join in too. Whether an hour, afternoon, or taking part in a local eco-community event.

We can all become custodians of the green spaces we inhabit and enjoy in Barnes. While considering the wellbeing benefits of spending time in nature, getting outdoors more and instilling in young children, a sense of wonder and awe in the simple acts of planting seeds; seeing flowers bloom and vegetables grow.

Renewal, growth and wellbeing

Spring is the season for renewal and growth, and a great time to reflect on the joy our environment can bring us. Summer is the season for celebration, observing how verdant green tree leaves, abundant meadow flowers and wildlife shape our natural environment. Have you heard of the term fractals? Next time you walk around the common with your children, notice the repeated patterns in the veins of a leaf, the branches of a tree, flowers, feathers or even throw a stone into the brook to see a repeat of ripples in the water. Look up to the sky and spot what you can see in the whisp of passing clouds.

When parents lead busy lives, we can often forget the simple pleasures nature can bestow on our senses to calm our minds. Finding fun ways to engage with your kids in natural play outdoors, also teaches them the value of how to regulate emotions in the stillness of simply observing natural objects of nature.

Lifelong love of nature – environmental stewardship

Two long standing Barnes volunteers, Crispin O’Brien, and Ann Sullivan, talk about their own childhood memories in nature that led them to take action in protecting our environment in Barnes today.

 Through the act of volunteering in nature, both Crispin and Ann believe that children can go on to develop healthier long-term lifestyles, and take pride in sustainability. It could be becoming more aware that we all make sure that we don’t overspill the bins by the river along the footpath. Rubbish will easily blow into our river, polluting the water our beloved swans and ducks reside in. Or it can be a simple act of being mindful of keeping our green spaces clean and taking pride in our environment. Take your litter home with you if the bins are full.

However, both Crispin and Ann share many similarities in common. In both childhoods they grew up surrounded by nature and this shaped their lifelong love of the outdoor world, but also a sense of environmental stewardship. We dig a bit deeper into their commitment and how just one person, through the love of nature, can make significant change in protecting our Barnes environment and keeping it safe for everyone to enjoy.

Crispin has a 1957 photo gardening with his grandfather when he was 3 years old. His father was also a keen gardener and Crispin fondly remembers many childhood hours spent ‘helping’ in the garden. He says: “I was always potting around the garden from an early age using a miniature wheelbarrow and spade.” Crispin and Susie Pugh run Barnes Community Gardeners and have a group of enthusiastic volunteers working in social housing sites and with FiSH Neighbourhood Care. Susie also runs weekly gardening groups at two local Primary Schools.

 Encouraging young people to garden and grow is a great gift. Connecting with the earth through gardening and growing encourages children to develop healthier lifestyles, creating habits of physical activity from a young age. Crispin reflects: “I’ve been around gardens all my life and have seen the physical and mental benefits of working together outside.”

Recent research has proved the value of this and is summed up in the: Five Ways to Wellbeing - Connect - Be active- Take notice - Keep learning- Give! Crispin says: “With the warm weather we can get outside and enjoy leafy Barnes together. We have so such wonderful green spaces in Barnes and many volunteering opportunities.”

Ann originally grew up on a farm in Vermont and says that tending to the environment is just something that is part and parcel of who she is.
In November 2017, Ann, sporting a running injury, took a slow walk along the river and noticed things she did not see when running. She was horrified to see 100’s of dog poo bags and bottles in the brambles between Hammersmith Bridge and Harrods Village. She says: “I grew up litter picking in Vermont. We had ‘Green Up Day’ where the communities across the state would come together to do a big clean-up of litter after the winter snows had melted, so I was raised to be a good steward of nature.” As a result of this walk, her towpath litter picking began in earnest.

Ann met Petra, who shared a common respect for nature, while they were both on the towpath, they decided to start regularly cleaning the towpath together. In one two-hour session, they collected around 100 poo bags; in another, over 1000 single use plastic drinks cups were removed from the Thames foreshore. Over time, others joined them and Ann and Petra formed Barnes Tidy Towpath Group. Richmond Council was very receptive to BTTG’s request for 13 towpath bins. The Council is now committed to ensuring large riverine events such as the Boat Race are as green as possible before, during and after the event.

Since July 2018, BTTG has led over 180 sessions. Today, with the extra bins in place, the riverside verges are not as polluted. However, she asks us all to remember: “It’s our collective responsibility to look after our own patch. It’s important for kids to have that awareness and desire to do their bit. If parents can role model to their children to do their little bit, it can start a life-long commitment to effecting change in our environment.”She concludes: “Good things can start small. This can grow organically with time, if there is a genuine belief in the task and a willingness to put in a sustained effort. Let's encourage the young to marvel at nature and inspire them to do their bit for the community and, by extension, the planet.”

Inspired to get involved?

Rapheal Zachary- Younger, Trustee for Environment says: "We encourage families to explore the green spaces on their doorsteps, whether it’s spotting birds, identifying trees, or simply taking a mindful walk together in nature. Make it fun and hands-on: bring a notebook, create nature scavenger hunts, or join local community events run by Barnes Common Ltd. The more we connect with the biodiversity around us, the more we feel part of it – and the stronger our desire becomes to protect and celebrate these precious common lands for our own wellbeing and that of future generations.”

"Get involved,” he advocates. “volunteering is one of the most powerful ways to build a deeper connection with nature and with each other,” says Rapheal. “By giving our time to care for local green spaces, we become true stewards of our environment. Every small act, from planting bulbs to litter picking, strengthens our community spirit and reminds us that we all have a role to play in nurturing the environment we share.”

Rapheal continues: “Whether you have an hour or an afternoon, there’s a place for you! Join local groups like Barnes Community Gardeners and Friends of Barnes Common to explore, learn, and help protect the green spaces and wildlife on our doorstep. Bring your family, meet your neighbours, and make a real difference, it all starts with one small step.”

Benefits of green spaces and volunteering.

Engaging with the environment has numerous benefits not only for children but for families as well. For children, the benefits are profound; outdoor activities encourage physical movement, promote creativity, and improve problem-solving skills. Outdoor experiences foster a sense of wonder and curiosity in children.

·      When families volunteer together, it strengthens bonds and creates cherished memories.

·      Exposure to green spaces has been shown to boost immune system function, improve focus and concentration.

·      Instilling a sense of environmental stewardship in children can have profound benefits for their health and wellbeing, creating a foundation for positive habits that last a lifetime.

·      Nature provides a sensory experience that encourages healthy development – children learn to appreciate different sights, sounds, and smells, creating a more diverse understanding of their world.

·      When children get involved in gardening and caring for local green spaces, they learn to appreciate the environment and understand how their actions can impact both nature and their communities.

·      For children, participating in community service increases empathy, improves social skills, and embeds a sense of purpose.

These are skills that are vital as they navigate an increasingly connected yet isolated digital world.

The BCA would like to thank both Crispin and Ann for sharing their stories and speaking with BCA volunteer Natalie Copper. Natalie, we also thank you for drawing attention to nature by crafting this wonderful article for us.