The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age

by Richard Louv

For many of us, thinking about the future conjures up images of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, a post-apocalyptic dystopia stripped of nature. Richard Louv, author of the landmark bestseller Last Child in the Woods, urges us to change our vision of the future, suggesting that if we reconceive environmentalism and sustainability, they will evolve into a larger movement that will touch every part of society.This New Nature Movement taps into the restorative powers of the natural world to boost mental acuity and creativity; promote health and wellness; build smarter and more sustainable businesses, communities, and economies; and ultimately strengthen human bonds. Supported by groundbreaking research, anecdotal evidence, and compelling personal stories, Louv offers renewed optimism while challenging us to rethink the way we live.

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Environment, Science, Education, Psychology, Health

352 pages, Paperback

Published April 17, 2012

About the author

Richard Louv, recipient of the 2008 Audubon Medal, is the author of seven books, including Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle. The chairman of the Children & Nature Network (www.cnaturenet.org), he is also honorary co-chair of the National Forum on Children and Nature. He has written for the San Diego Union-Tribune, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Christian Science Monitor, and other newspapers and magazines. He has appeared on The Early Show, Good Morning America, Today, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, NPRs Morning Edition, Fresh Air, Talk of the Nation, and many other programs. For more information, visit www.lastchildinthewoods.com.

Reviews

[Rod Ruff · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are two kinds of journalists: reporters and storytellers. Richard Louv falls into the first category.

This book is a pragmatic exploration of how we can interact better with nature in the 21st century - something many of us are craving to find time for. There is no shortage of information here, Louv starts with an examination of all the positive health (physical and mental) benefits that may arise from increasing our exposure to nature, and then moves into all the practical ways we can interact better with the natural world.

Unfortunately, the book reads like a massive literature review in the beginning, and then moves into what feels like an unending series of newspaper articles at the end. In many ways it feels like I was reading the Huffington Post Green section the entire time. The overarching theme is loosely tied together, no topics are explored at any real depth, and the stories and anecdotes are rarely engaging.

There were a handful of resources and ideas that I found fascinating - about urban gardening and "sense of place" thinking - but considering the vast amount of ideas touched on it was bound to happen. Of course, I had to Google search to learn more about them.

Last year I read Feral by George Monbiot, a book with a similar focus on nature and the profound effect it can have on our psyche. Monbiot explored the concept of re-wilding and other practices related to conservation, but he interwove the discussion with his own powerful stories of immersing himself in nature. His personal stories were told in a way that create wonder, build imagination, and a craving to enter the natural world for the reader.

That is what is missing here. Louv has either gone too practical in his approach or is incapable of conveying that sense of wonder.

[Connie Mayo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was completely prepared to love this book. But I didn't find what I was looking for. I wanted and expected to find out a little about the science behind the idea that spending time in nature has brain benefits. I also wanted to know what exactly it is that scientists think is having the positive impact. Is it visual? Auditory? Is it the smell of outdoors? What if you are in a suburban environment, where there is a combination of nature and manmade structures - is it half as effective? Do people who progress through nature in a wheelchair experience the same benefits as those walking? Is there benefit to just working with your window open, being able to see/hear/smell outdoors?

But instead, the book seemed to me like a mostly collection of stories of how the author has spent many an hour out in the wilderness, and also stories of how other people have done the same, and about how happy they all are. Hey, you had me at "nature"!

I should disclose that I did not read his first book, "Last Child in the Woods" so perhaps what I was looking for is in there.

[Michael Jandrok · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always had a good connection with the outdoors. My father was an avid hunter and fisherman, and took me out with him whenever he had the chance when I was growing up. I never did catch the bug for hunting, but I still fish to this day. It helped growing up in a semi-rural setting in an era when children could pretty much roam free through the neighborhoods and surrounding countryside. Nowadays, though, there is a real concern that children and adults are suffering from a condition known as "nature-deficit disorder." Too much time in cubicles, too much time in adult-organized sports, too much time spent playing video games and surfing the web and chatting and.......you surely get the idea. All of these things and more have led to a situation where we as a society have become disengaged and disconnected from the world of nature around us. Author Richard Louv tells us that this is an inherently unhealthy situation, unhealthy for us as human beings, and unhealthy for the Earth. We have ceased to be good stewards of the land and have turned inward.

So what can be done to reverse this unhealthy trend? Louv turns to a philosophy that he calls the Nature Principle. Simply stated, the Nature Principle is "an amalgam of converging theories and trends as well as a reconciliation with old truths. This principle holds that a re-connection to the natural world is fundamental to human health, well-being, spirit, and survival."

I would state it in even more simple terms....as in "get your butt outside!!!" Louv reviews a number of anecdotal stories and empirical studies that show that increased interaction with nature has myriad benefits, both physical and mental. This is not too surprising. The reality is that we are only a few generations removed from an agrarian economy where almost everyone had a deeper connection with the land. We should know intuitively that getting outside and "playing in the woods" is good for us as physical and spiritual beings.

The trick, of course, is "how?" How do we disengage from the tele-teat and once again make the natural world a vital part of our shared life experiences? THAT is where the meat of this book is and it's also when the dry introductory sections give way to real stories of real people who have real ideas about how to once again make the natural world a focus (or at least a vital part) of our lives.

From ideas that we can do as individuals (tending native plant and vegetable gardens) to things we can do as communities (camping clubs, pocket parks), Louv provides a wealth of information on how we all can increase our interaction with the natural world, even if we have physical or mental limitations that prevent us from becoming completely immersed.

Louv also makes a welcome distinction between the terms "conservationist" and "environmentalist." Environmentalists and conservationists have often been at odds, despite their shared interest in the common good of the land. Louv argues for a newer paradigm, finding common ground between the two groups and working towards a productive partnership. I am totally on board with this. It is one thing to protect and keep wild sections of nature (environmentalism) and it is another to work with and steward the land and it's resources (conservationism). These two interests MUST find a way to work together if we are to truly re-engage with nature as a society.

It's also important to note that Louv is NOT anti-technology. In point of fact, he champions the use of the internet for it's strength as a communications and organizing device. It's perfectly possible to remain connected AND escape to the forest at the same time. Louv takes great pains to demonstrate that getting back to nature must be a collective effort, spanning professional disciplines from medicine to architectural design. Modern technology must be made to work in concert with nature, not against it. It's a big paradigm shift, but certainly not impossible.

It's an inspiring and necessary book. It's interesting that I found this edition in the gift shop at my local Texas State Park. Now that may seem like preaching to the choir, but I think that active nature lovers like me are the primary people who can spread the word. Get out there, even if it's just for a half-hour a day. Sit on your porch, eat your lunch outside, start a community garden or a community park playgroup. This book is an excellent resource on how to get it done.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many, I came to this book having read and loved Last Child in the Woods. This book was good, too, going farther than Last Child by pointing out how a connection with the nature around us makes all of us--child AND adult--happier, healthier, more peaceful, more productive. While Louv makes a lot out of a few studies at times, and waxes kind of mystical and hippy-happy at times, still the book is a good read. I especially enjoyed the many profiles of and interviews with people who are helping those around them tune into nature. Where Louv kind of gets off track is in his "prescriptive" parts. He wants us to be able to choose to live closer to nature--but wants to have government force and dictate zoning, where we can live, how we ought to be able to get to work (rail systems good, cars bad). And he glosses over the economic difficulties inherent in so many environmentalist prescriptions. Yes, small village communities with just a few houses surrounded by nature would be good. And perhaps some people could find telecommuting jobs to enable them to live there. But what about the rest of us? Louv seems to hate malls, strip malls, shopping centers, and big-box stores. So where does he want us to get our stuff, and where does he want us to WORK? Everyone can't telecommute. He also celebrates small organic truck farms, while glossing over the fact that if we ALL tried to live and eat this way, we'd all get pretty hungry. We simply can't sustain our six billion people on organic community-supported-agriculture farms. Still, the book is a good start. Louv's vision of the possible future if MANY people reconnected with nature and began to try to find ways to live with it instead of use it up is still a compelling one.

[David Rubenstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Nature Principle states that "... a reconnection to the natural world is fundamental to human health, well-being, spirit, and survival." Richard Louv is able to show how true this principle really is. Through a combination of psychology research and anecdotal evidence, this book shows how even a limited connection to nature helps us to re-ignite our bodies, our health, our imaginations, and our communities.

People are paying a high price for losing contact with nature. And, by the term "nature", the book does not necessarily mean wilderness. Louv defines nature as any environment where one can experience other species. He contends that we must not only live with nature, but also in it. Louv has some very interesting suggestions about involving entire communities, to get us back in contact with nature.

This is a very well-written book, and quite enjoyable. Why? Toward the end of the book the author comes right out and tells us; his message is upbeat. While many people discussing ecology and nature have bad things to say about our future, the overall message in this book is optimistic.

[Gemma Golley · Rating 4 out of 5]

educational and provides detailed scenarios as to why we need nature in our lives! also very practical by mentioning different sustainability and leisure clubs that endorse nature, although not really applicable to other countries as the advice and directions to go in are entirely american-focused

[Bibliobites Veronica]

Not exactly what I was hoping for, but an interesting read nonetheless. Sometimes it felt like the author was just trying to get in a mention/quote from every single study he read on the topic, which, if I recall correctly, he as much as admitted to in the intro. He also seemed to have trouble keeping to one topic/train of thought, or fleshing out his ideas fully. I could’ve used less of that and more living ideas. Still it’s a useful in that it’s both an encouraging and hopeful one - unlike many that tackle the state of the environment and our role in it. I also appreciated the discussion of new jobs in the environmental field. Was considering it as a science book for my high schoolers, was looking for something about the importance of time in nature for mental and physical health, and I’m not sure this is it, but it may be still be a useable title.

ETA more stuff I’m remembering: one chapter was a little too “we [people & planet] are all part of the same spirit” for me. Im also surprised that he managed to write an entire book on children and nature and didn’t manage to find ONE homeschool nature group to interview/mention. On the positive side, I was excited to see mention of many of my favorite nature writers.

[Lexi Angemi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ this wasn’t everything I wanted it to be…Louv is a great reporter but fell short of the storytelling that I wanted to keep me enthralled in the book. It was interesting nonetheless and I appreciate his optimistic views on future environmentalism

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read, but it did not blow my mind like Last Child in the Woods. That said, Louv's research is unparalleled, and he has again given me heavy stuff to chew on both personally and in the way I raise my children.

Great quote that sums up my view on the book:

"Sooner or later, a school of higher education--perhaps a school that teaches teachers--is going to realize the potential and create an entire program devoted to connecting people to nature. Enter this program, learn about the benefits of human restoration through the natural world, and THEN decide what profession you will choose...to apply that knowledge and intent. No matter what career is chosen as the tool to connect people to nature, this is a way to love the natural world and humanity, too, and make a living at it" (282).

Holla, Richard Louv!

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept that we are part of nature, and that we need nature to be whole, is irrefutable. I enjoyed the parts in which Louv brought in studies that show the effects of immersion in nature on student performance, and sense of well-being. This is the reason I purchased the book, and what I was hoping to get out of it. Unfortunately, that is a small part of the whole. Another aspect of the book that I loved was when he talked about the divide between Conservationist (think hunters, fishermen and those who think of nature in terms of resources) versus Environmentalist (think those who would isolate nature to protect it from humanity's destructiveness, always excepting themselves). He advocates, like Wendell Berry, that people and nature need to be able to coexist in close proximity. This is necessary if people are to love nature, and loving nature is the basis for saving it. The bulk of the book, however, is anecdotal. It is about various people and groups working on bringing nature to cities, or city kids to nature. That has been his life's work. I can't really fault him for it, but it did get tedious to me after a time. It seemed a little too repetitive. Overall, the book is full of hope, and that's a rare thing these days when it comes to the environment--as the author himself points out toward the end of the book.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent reminder of how important nature is and how to be healthy we need to maintain a connection with the natural world. In some ways Louv may be too optimistic and he may take what little scientific evidence there is for the effects of nature on human health, including mental health, but he does make good points along these lines that are often neglected. Whether or not further research shows a stronger connection between immersion in nature and health, I have no doubt that some regular exposure to nature is good for us all.

[Mattine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! Richard discusses a lot of nature and the importance of children being in nature and adults for that matter. How sitting in an office affects the brain and having a view of nature makes a huge difference. I loved his discussion of the urban planning of green space and how important it is.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author makes a convincing case for the existence of nature-deficit disorder. Since reading this book, I've become more aware of the ways I'm disconnected from nature, and I'm coming up with strategies to spend more time outdoors.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book discussing our deteriorating connection to nature and the impact it has on our lives and our society. Many suggestions for making nature part of our lives and ensuring our children have opportunities to see the importance of the outdoors in their lives.

[Leisan Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the stories told and the theories Louv presented in this book. Genuinely so mind boggling and inspiring.

[Andrea Johnstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Last Child in the Woods more but The Nature Principle was thought provoking and fun to read while in Arrowhead.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

This felt like an annotated bibliography more than a book. If you don't do a lot of reading in this subject area, you will get the Readers Digest version of a lot of the more compelling books in this topic.

[Patrick Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

In March 2020 much of life in the United States ground to a halt as the COVID-19 pandemic gathered momentum and government agencies at every level looked for ways to slow its spread. My home state, an early hotspot, closed many public spaces, including parks, nature preserves, and even cemeteries, to prevent people from gathering.

As time passed, infection rates dropped, and the weather warmed, health officials determined that outdoor public spaces could safely reopen. People who had felt trapped in their homes headed to parks and nature preserves in large numbers. Visitors to hiking and bike trails may have experienced traffic jams, as my wife and I did, in the parking areas and on the trails themselves.

Although the pandemic has been devastating in many respects, continues to wreak havoc around the world, and likely will do so for several years, it has had the effect of driving millions of people into natural spaces. Richard Louv’s The Nature Principle was written almost a decade before the first cases of COVID-19 infection were reported, but it tells us why it’s a good thing that this has been one of the incidental outcomes of the pandemic. Will that positive outcome last, and will people still visit natural outdoor spaces as restaurants, ballparks, movie theaters, and other entertainment venues reopen? Only time will tell, but we can hope so.

The Nature Principle is a wide-ranging tour through the benefits of human contact with the natural world. Taking walks in the woods, planting a garden, stargazing, and bird-watching can all yield these benefits even with modest commitments of time and energy. More than just encouraging citizens to engage in these practices, Louv obliges government agencies and private and public landowners to take steps to make more resources available for them.

Louv is surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses supporting his arguments, reaching back to John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt. He holds special reverence for Aldo Leopold and his A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There and Thomas Berry — one of two dedicatees — and his The Dream of the Earth. Wendell Berry gets the honor of providing an epigraph for the beginning of the book, an excerpt from “The Peace of Wild Things.” Douglas Tallamy (Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens) also gets an extended discussion. I am particularly taken with Tallamy’s concept of a homegrown national park, discussed in his later book, Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard.

I borrowed the copy that I read from the public library, but The Nature Principle would be a good resource to own. I can imagine myself referring to it again and again. I am also encouraged to read Louv’s Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad I followed a lead from another book and got a copy of Richard Louv's The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age. His earlier book Last Child in the Woods is one of my absolute favorite books. I've used it with teachers and recommend it all the time. This newer book is equally fine. I literally had difficulty putting it down to get on with other things and looked forward to picking it up again.

Louv fills each chapter with positive examples of individuals and communities that are improving their connection to the natural world, with examples primarily focused on places where nature might seem to be hiding ... our suburban and urban centers. It is chock full of ideas that anyone might implement in their own backyard or with their neighbors in city and town. Louv cites the research that establishes the important and varied benefits of attending to what he calls nature deficit disorder in both children and adults and fostering more time connecting with nature. He also includes lots of resources, both books and organizations, that can help individuals and communities create these opportunities. Louv doesn't eschew technology but illustrates ways in which it can be both minimized in our daily lives and marshaled to foster those increasingly necessary connections to the natural world.

I love this book and highly recommend it to anyone feeling the stress of high tech living and looking for an antidote.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received this book as a Goodread's giveaway.

In my day to day life, I experience nature. I am fortunate to live in a small western town surrounded by mountains and high desert. The Nature Principle reinterated the quality of life I have. He talks about how the more you have technology in your life the more you need nature. He talks about the health benefits of nature, nature that is as near as our yards, creating nature to enjoy, and about the future of our collective nature. I found it to be a well thought out book that addresses today's lifestyle and how to make it healthy, happy, and enjoyable. It puts weight to the idea that being a good stuart to our earth and enjoying the natural world is important to our joy of living.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uplifting persuasive piece about the desirability of putting yourself in contact with nature. He goes beyond the sentimental testimonial anecdote (though there are quite a few "just the other day, I was taking a walk in the woods when I saw the most wonderful heron; can't get that on Facebook!" passages) to describe families banding together through nature outings, therapists prescribing outdoor time, workers being happier and more productive when they have windows in their offices overlooking woods, etc. etc.

I get the sense I should have selected his previous book Last Child in the Woods, which was apparently a big hit. This book is quite repetitive and has the feel of something he or perhaps his publisher felt he had to do after the kid version struck a chord.

[Nicole Bettis]

I just won this book in in first reads giveaway and I am excited to read it for sure. As an art therapist, I am always interesting in finding alternative approaches to finding therapeutic and creative ways to soothe the soul. People in society today spend entirely too much time wasting away in cubicle style jobs, forgetting how to find solace in the beauty of nature around us. The ideas that seem to be presented in this book are excellent, and as soon as I read it, I will be sure to post a thorough review.

[Pooja Mathur · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was preaching to the choir for me. In other words it had in writing, many things I had been thinking about for a while. I feel encouraged hearing that other people feel the same, and even more so hearing all the research and efforts other organizations are pursuing to show and/or increase the presence of nature in our lives.

I definitely want to read this book again, there were so many organizations that were mentioned that I want to look up as well as tips and ideas for oneself to get more into nature.

[Jeremy Lincoln · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Louv brings compelling anecdotes and evidence to back up his proposal that mankind is beginning to rely too much on technology in our daily lives. This increased reliance is proving detrimental to our collective productivity, creativity, and focus.

Nature deficiency disorder is becoming pandemic throughout the world, and is one problem we should all strive to overcome through increased immersion into nature, and the rediscovery of our natural selves.

[Samantha Garcia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book - and I definitely agree with its core concepts. The style of writing felt disjointed. Random segments of descriptive prose then juxtaposed with emerging trends or research. It was a difficult read and I probably would read another one of Richard Louv's books. I do however subscribe to his web newsletter as a way of supporting his movement and staying on top of new initiatives.

[James Greening · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating read and truly filled with hope and inspiration for what you can do as an individual to be a part of the world-wide environmental movement, all while taking care of your own spirituality and health. If you care about YOUR future, you need to read this book and implement nature into your daily life! Thank you Richard Louv!

[Mark Hartzer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason I didn't give this superficial book 1 star is because there were a couple of good points regarding nature in the backyard. Otherwise, this was generally a series of interviews and observations with boring people discovering the truly obvious. Pitiful.

[Kim June Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The urgency I felt reading this book almost took my breath away. It was pivotal in my decision to move to a small island with my two daughters. It's not an understatement to say this book is life changing. Richard Louv balances science nicely with narrative for an enjoyable read.

[Christina Brandsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this interesting, but kinda slow. Most of the research and anecdotes included were familiar to me, granted I read a lot in this nature genre. Still, the information is important and inspiring.

Interesting Insights:
Chapter 4
-research of patients in hospitals with tree views vs. brick wall views - tree viewers had shorter hospitalizations, less need for pain meds, and less negative comments in nurses notes

Chapter 7
-National Environmental Educational Foundation

Chapter 13
-place the house in sync with sun's movement when building a home so that the sleeping and waking are aligned with the light & large windows on the south facing wall

Chapter 14
-Noise is derived from the Latin word for nausea, or seasickness
-Excessive noise in NICUs can disrupt the development of premies
-In the 1970s it took about 20 hours of tape to record 15 minutes of usable natural soundscape, by 1995, it took him 200 hours

Chapter 15
Nature adjacent job ideas:
-rooftop gardeners
-forest kindergarten
-raising mushrooms for packing material
-roof painters (white in summer and black in winter)
-people walker! (kids, aging parents, infirmed - walked at their own pace safely)

Chapter 19
-In 2008, the Oxford Junior Dictionary deleted the names of over 90 common plants and animals (acorn, beaver, canary, clover, vine, willow, etc.) and added (mp3 player, smart phone, blog, etc.) - daily associations with nature are fading

Chapter 21
-A new generation of agrarians can grow nature, but they would also be growing an expanded sense of purpose and identity

[Kayla Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is more like a detailed research paper. I enjoyed it. It is a book that is full of information, studies, research, and evidence! It is perfect for those who are interested in our connection to nature & perfect for any non-believers.
This is NOT a book for those just wanting to read entertaining stories about nature. This is really geared towards those wanted all the science journals condensed into one book.
I will refer to this book many times in my life - I know it. I will probably read it several times more until I, too, can memorize these impressive facts supporting our connection to the natural world.
However, if you are looking for a fun-relaxed book about nature this is not it. It is VERY informative, with many studies/ scientific research provided on each page.. so if you’re looking for more of a crash course on nature, much like a college course, I would recommend it.
I will be using this book, along with my environmental education courses, to hopefully inspire others about how deep our connection to this earth is & why we need to care for it.
P.S. this book is also very positive. It focuses on what we CAN do, instead of making us feel “doomed.” Overall, good informative read.