Natural Connections – What does nature do for me?

Considering how urban Cumbernauld is amazingly 50% of our town is green and probably just as well taking into account the volume of pollution from the vast number of vehicles on the M80 motorway. This is where our environment comes in or rather its Ecosystem services; these are services which are delivered unseen by our environment i.e. trees and fungi help to clean the air we breathe, look out for black splodges about the size of a 5p piece on the leaves of a sycamore tree.  These splodges are fungi which exchange polluted air for clean air. There are also multiple health benefits; we can reduce our blood pressure, muscle tension, stress and depression just by going out for regular walks in our local greenspaces.

I am often asked “Why are you worried about the environment” and “is there any future for conservation?” I like breathing fresh air, drinking clean fresh water and going for walks in places that take my breath away and I know that without our woodlands, meadows, parks and reserves across our town we would be unable to enjoy the simple things in life.  There is definitely a future for conservation; we are so closely linked to the natural system that it is vital for us to look after it not just for nature but for our own interests too.  Now you know how our greenspaces are good for us, the next time you take a walk have a think about what services our wildlife provide, you’ll be surprized! Follow us on Facebook – Cumbernauld Living Landscape