Whether the natural area near you is a backyard or a park, nature provides benefits to our health and quality of life. Living near a natural area, such as a meadow, forest, or wetland, provides an exciting view of nature: plants that provide clean air and water, a variety of wildlife, and constant change over the course of seasons, decades, and longer. Living near a stream brings the most dynamic change.
A Complex System
Landscapes Change
Fallen trees and branches, leaves, grasses, shrubs, trees (living and dead) are part of the landscape. The more we let nature function without intervention, the more complex and healthy it is.
Water Moves
We see water moving down a stream, but water is also moving through the ground, across landscapes, and creates necessary changes to soil for healthy plants and clean water. These changes allow streams to literally move, creating natural erosion, providing water to wetlands, and connecting floodplains. A floodplain is the area directly next to the stream that floods during heavy rain events.
Plants Adapt
The types of plants may change with water levels and time. As water sits in soils for longer, some trees may die while other water-loving plants may thrive. Dead, standing trees, often called snags, provide excellent homes for woodpeckers, ducks, owls, and bats and are fun to watch!
A Complex System
Whether the natural area near you is a backyard or a park, nature provides benefits to our health and quality of life. Living near a natural area, such as a meadow, forest, or wetland, provides an exciting view of nature: plants that provide clean air and water, a variety of wildlife, and constant change over the course of seasons, decades, and longer. Living near a stream brings the most dynamic change.
