| As some of you might know, I strongly advocate for bringing nature into education. There are a number of reasons for this. Not only is it important for young people to appreciate the majesty and complexity of the plant kingdom, but there are also other benefits that explain why being among trees and plants makes us feel so good. The positive impacts of nature on humans have long been recognised and exploited. Some examples include Ayurveda – the ancient Indian health system that extols nature and forest bathing; China’s Qigong walking; Shinrin-yoku – forest bathing in Japan; Friluftsliv – the Norwegian practice of connecting with unmodified nature; and in my native New Zealand, Rongoā – the Māori practise of immersing oneself in native forests for relaxation, contemplation and wellbeing. So how exactly do we benefit from nature? It all comes down to science. Trees and plants release chemicals that make us feel calm by lowering cortisol levels that in turn lower blood pressure and boost our moods. • Phytoncides are antimicrobial organic compounds released by trees and plants. Forest bathing, which involves relaxing in nature and inhaling phytoncides, has been shown to lower cortisol level • Alpha-pinene and beta-pinene are monoterpenes released by trees have been found to have an anti-stress effect by lowering cortisol. • Floral scents have been shown in studies to have a relaxing effect and reduce cortisol levels. Floral scents come from chemicals like linalool, geraniol and linalyl acetate. • Green leaf volatiles. The smell of cut grass contains these volatile compounds released by plants that can have calming effects. • Negative air ions are released by plants and trees and can have mood boosting and stress lowering effects when inhaled. It will come as no surprise, therefore, that this cortisol-lowering exposure to trees and other plants also improves learning, memory retention and cognitive development. So, the beautiful ZIS campus not only inspires imagination, curiosity and reflective contemplation through its beauty, it improves learning, memory and development through its biology. It also makes it an even more enjoyable place to work. Paul McKenzie Head of School |
