Down to the River and Up to the Trees: Discover the hidden nature on your doorstep
** A Winner of the Woodland Books of the Year Award **In a stressful, chaotic world, many of us are turning to nature for a sense of serenity and happiness.While the idea of the wild outdoors is enticing, though, our busy lives and our location can cause us to become detached from nature. Down to the River and Up to the Trees will show you how to connect with the natural world around you, whether you live in the city or the countryside.From getting to know the local wildlife, to foraging and creating naturally-sourced masterpieces, Down to the River is brimming with practical information, intriguing quotes and inspirational ideas. Discover how to carve your own spoon; to be able to tell if the moon is waxing or waning; or try forest bathing (surrounding yourself with trees). Learn how to make yourself at home amongst the animals and plants on your doorstep, in harmony with your surroundings. There is space too for you to record your thoughts and findings, whatever shape they take.
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Thorsons
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
First published by Thorsons 2017
FIRST EDITION
Text and illustrations © Sue Belfrage 2017
The poem ‘Night Blanket’ first published in Mslexia magazine in 2016
Cover design Micaela Alcaino © HarperCollinsPublishers 2017
A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library
Sue Belfrage asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
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Find out about HarperCollins and the environment at www.harpercollins.co.uk/green
Source ISBN: 9780008255268
Ebook Edition © June 2017 ISBN: 9780008255275
Version 2017-05-24
To Matt, man of the woods
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
WILLIAM BLAKE (1757–1827), ‘Auguries of Innocence’
First, a confession – I’ve never been to the Serengeti to marvel at lions. Nor have I witnessed a sunset in the Australian outback, or swum with brilliantly coloured fish over a coral reef. Yet I still remember one of the first times I saw a creature in the wild that made me gasp out loud.
I was sitting on the back of a motorbike at the time, riding pillion at 65 mph. And the creature that caught my eye was a buzzard, waddling across a field by the side of the road. It wasn’t soaring, swooping or doing anything particularly impressive. Most probably it was grubbing about for worms. But I was left buzzing at the thought that such a large bird of prey could exist, free to wander where it liked, within a couple of hours’ drive from London.
Today I live in the countryside and am surrounded by footpaths, green fields and woodland. And each time I step outside I’m struck again by the amazing variety of life – animals, insects, fungi and plants – that surrounds us.
But you don’t have to live in the countryside to experience that sense of wonder. Wherever your home and wherever you find yourself – suburb or seaside, tower block or terrace – you too are surrounded by living, breathing, growing beings, be they trees, bees or woodlice.
All the suggestions in this book are designed to help you create your own sense of connection with the natural world. If you’re drawn to this idea, you probably know intuitively that spending time in nature can be good for us. There’s a growing body of scientific evidence in support of nature’s many health benefits, from helping us destress and find calm, to strengthening the immune system and fighting disease, improving memory and creativity, and grounding ourselves in the present moment.
