Recharge in nature. Green spaces might be hard to find near where you live—but make a note
of various spots such as nearby trails, parks, and clearings where you can go to get away and
relax.

Florida state park beauty

One such place is Paynes Prairie, a Florida state park. Located in Micanopy, Fla. near Gainesville,
Paynes Prairie is a popular getaway for students at University of Florida, hikers of all ages, and
families. Old Florida is on display at Paynes Prairie and it’s easy to see why it is a National
Natural Landmark. Driving by swampy areas to get to the main parking area in the back of the
park, the quiet is interrupted by the call of birds, the chirping of crickets, and the rustling of
animals in the underbrush.

Walking out to the prairie area, the silence makes the crunch of shoes hitting the dirt and pine
needles even louder. At this point, the beauty of the scenery makes it easy to relax and ponder
the majesty of old trees. A warning to keep an eye out for wild animals niggles at the back of
our minds as we walk out closer to the prairie, but the only wish in our group is we had more
time to explore and enjoy the beauty of the park. On the map, we see a trail to walk to Lake
Wauberg and decide to put that experience on our bucket list.

Recharging in the prairie

Here in the quiet, walking towards the swaying prairie grass, I realize with a suddenness how
relaxed I feel. The simple act of being in a green space is like a fast recharge for a device. Who
knew how taking a break in nature for not even half an hour can soothe the inner soul and
recharge us?

The birds caw as we climb up the stairs to the observation tower. The moss on the trees lazily
sways to and fro in tune with the wind. The view to the prairie is breathtaking and we spy wild
black horses cavorting in the field. Taking in the vast expanse of the preserve from the high
tower, I thought about the early pioneers of Florida and the trials they went through to
domesticate various areas of the Sunshine State. Here in the preserve, the splendor of nature is
mesmerizing but here, too, wildlife thrives that can (of course) be very dangerous. Still, the

view of the multi-layered swaying grasses and trees served to soothe all those taking in nature’s
wild beauty.

Walking like Thoreau

The shade of the ancient trees sheltered us from the Florida sun, while the occasional wind
ruffled our hair and eased our burdens. Philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau knew
the value of nature and green spaces and is renowned for spending much time walking in the
woods observing various wild creatures in their natural habitats. Walking in the woods of
Paynes Prairie, I pondered what Thoreau would say about the diminishing amount of green
spaces, our propensity to flit from one screen to the next, and our stress levels.

That stress can cause a variety of problems is well known, but perhaps not as well known is that
nature can be part of the solution to reducing stress. A study done by Frontiers in Psychology
found that “Spending just 20 minutes connecting with nature can help lower stress hormone
levels.”

Green spaces are popular at universities and in cities—they provide a way to enjoy nature,
exercise, and also connect with others. Students intuitively head outdoors to relax.

Who knew concentration capabilities could be increased just by taking time to be in green
space? Another study shows nature’s natural medicine—spending time in nature—can help
improve our cognition. It makes sense that being in nature can help improve our concentration;
in a green space we can relax and just appreciate our surroundings.

Making a green space

For those of us living in an urban area, getting to a green space may be difficult. If that’s the
case, gardening may be a way to obtain the benefits of a green space without commuting.
While more laborious than a walk in the woods—depending on the steepness of the
trail—gardening likely means getting vitamin D from the sun and exercise from planting and/or
weeding. Gardening also means taking in the beauty of nature, which can help rejuvenate us.
Looking out at the vastness of the prairie and underbrush, we appreciated nature’s gardening
work at Paynes Prairie.

Hiking in the wild

With more time, perhaps we would have been able to also spot the wild
bison and cattle that roam Paynes Prairie. The swampy green water surely held some of the
alligators which the signs warned about. Although the danger of being on the prairie was clear
from the signs, the stress of the everyday hustle and bustle continued to fall away as we strode
along the path. Smiles abounded as squirrels scurried away and ran up nearby trees as we
approached.

The unknown of what was rustling about in the vast underbrush did not concern
us—though we were curious what other animals scuttled about in the forest all around us.
The breeze rustling through the old trees cooled us and the sky began to form dark rain clouds.
Wanting to avoid being in a downpour, we reluctantly trudged back to our vehicle. Our goal of
recharging achieved, we left with the intent to visit more trails and green spaces on a regular
basis.