Big Nature & Little Nature

Nature Theories: Big Nature & Little Nature

I've seen a lot of folks with a 2025 goal to spend more time in nature, lamenting that they always wish to do more than they inevitably manage to.

As someone who's physical health and mobility have been on the decline for almost a decade now, resulting in my currently being pretty much unable to venture further than a block away from my home without assistance, this is a topic I have Feelings™ about.

And I think in order to really articulate those feelings, we need to define 'nature', which brings me to two divisions/definitions: Big Nature and Little Nature.

Big Nature

This is what people mean when they're generally discussing being in nature. It's a natural, nature-based, or nature-heavy space of a reasonable size. The bigger, and farther away from obvious human civilization (or the more obscured the signs of human civilisation are), the better.

This generally prioritises spaces that have been minimally-impacted by humans (national parks, nature reserves, undeveloped beaches, etc), but might include parks, gardens, and other spaces that are co-created by humans in partnership with it.

But most importantly: it's bigger than you are, and you can be enveloped by it. A granite hillside with ferns and shrubby Australian plants growing on it. In the far corner you can see some treetops, and clouds in the sky above them

Little Nature

This is the nature most people ignore. They take it for granted.

It's not really nature...

Moss and tiny leaves growing between paving tiles

... Except it is!

It's the kind of nature that's everywhere.

You couldn't get away from it if you tried!

It's the weeds growing through cracks in the pavement. It's the street trees, and the gardens you walk past every day. It's the nature reclaiming the empty lots.

And it's not as impressive as Big Nature, but it's just as much nature.

You can learn just as much observing and working with it. And it can bring an incredible amount of peace and joy to your life.

3 photos: Black cockatoos in a tree between a pub and an empty lot, oleander blossoming in front of a graffitied wall in an empty lot, and bright illyarrie flowers in front of a red brick apartment building Now, absolutely no shade to Big Nature - it's wonderful, it's marvellous, we love it with our entire souls!...

... But it's not the only form of nature.

It's not the only way to spend time with nature. It's not the only option for nature connection.

And while we'll absolutely never argue with a goal or desire to spend more time with Big Nature, if you took even half the time you spent kicking yourself for not managing it as much as you'd like and put that time into noticing and connecting with Little Nature? I think you'd find a much bigger impact than you'd expect!

Give it a go 🥰

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