I read recent news in the Mountain Xpress Jan. 12 edition [Green Roundup] of King’s Bridge offering 87 acres to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission — and related mentions of an award for Mountains-to-Sea Trail volunteer maintenance efforts, approval of the voluntary annexation of about 11 wooded acres adjacent to Carolina Day School, NC DOT strategies for increased bicycle and pedestrian opportunities, and expansion of the Old Fort Trails Project highlighting 42 miles of new trails.
This all brings to mind ideas and values expressed in a recent and remarkably relevant book, demonstrating with evidence from a wide range of sources the uncompromised value of abundant walkable green space and greenways in and around our communities.
The book is In Praise of Walking: A New Scientific Exploration by neuroscientist Shane O’Mara. I strongly encourage all readers to read it and put its recommendations into practice in the name of civic health — individual, interpersonal, social and ecosocial. And if you have little time, consider at least the last three chapters titled: “A Balm for Body and Brain,” “Creative Walking” and “Social Walking.”
O’Mara writes at the conclusion of his book: “The core lesson … is this: walking enhances every aspect of our social, psychological and neural functioning. … Although walking arises from our deep, evolutionary past, it is our future too: for walking will do you all the good that you now know it does.” And we all know abundant green spaces and greenways are civic virtues and benefits by every measure.
Thanks sincerely for looking into this and similar books on behalf of the greening of our shared urban life.
— Guy Burneko
Asheville
Thanks, Guy. I’ve requested the book from my favorite branch library. Hopefully, local leaders will wake up to certain realities (climate change and global migrations of humans, etc.) and see that walkable areas and green spaces are critical to livability and the mental/physical health of those who live here. Our natural resources must be safeguarded at all cost, even if it means rejecting some of the mega developments being proposed to trade forests for housing.