Sustaining Our Past: Get Outside!

Sustaining Our Past, written by Historic New England’s Director of Sustainability Joie Grandbois, explores Historic New England’s climate action efforts and highlights how we’re adapting historic sites to meet the challenges of a changing environment. Through project updates, partnerships, community engagement—and the occasional reflection on sustainability in our communities and our daily lives—Joie shares how preservation and sustainability work together to protect New England’s history.

“If a man is rich and strong anywhere, it must be on his native soil. Here I have been these forty years learning the language of these fields that I may the better express myself. If I should travel to the prairies, I should much less understand them, and my past life would serve me but ill to describe them.” — Henry David Thoreau’s Journal, November 20, 1857.

I recently had the pleasure of watching Ken Burns’ documentary on the life of Henry David Thoreau. I already had some understanding of Thoreau’s life and writings. Like many who grew up in New England, I had learned about Thoreau in school. It was there that I first read Walden and his essay Civil Disobedience. In eighth grade, I did a project about Thoreau, and my family visited Walden and the cemetery where he was buried. Much of what I saw in the Burns documentary was familiar, but as I watched, I came to a new realization.

Thoreau’s work was shared broadly during his lifetime, and he has influenced countless people in the more than 150 years since his death. Today, his life and work are taught in American literature and history classes in high schools across the country. He is said to be one of the most quoted American authors, and may be as well-known as other American figures like George Washington or Benjamin Franklin. And he did all this while spending most of his life in one place: Concord, Massachusetts.

Thoreau didn’t see staying close to home as a hindrance. Instead, as he wrote in the journal entry excerpted at the beginning of this post, he found getting to know one place very well to be an asset, and it inspired much of his work. According to census data, the typical American will move eleven times over the course of their lives. In addition, a study shows that most Americans spend fewer than five hours a week in nature—a small amount of time compared to Thoreau’s half-day wanders through the woods of Massachusetts. The same study also shows that this isn’t because Americans don’t want to spend time in nature, it is because our busy lives often get in the way of being able to do so.

The personal health benefits of spending time in nature are well documented. We know it supports things like increased mental well-being, reduced stress, and heart health, but there are additional benefits. Spending time outdoors increases our appreciation for the natural world in our own communities, and that appreciation moves us to take actions that are more sustainable and which support the environment. It can even increase our sense of social connection and prompt us to be more generous.

Spending time in nature doesn’t have to mean packing a bag, getting in the car, and driving to a trailhead to spend the day hiking. Instead, you can take regular walks in your own neighborhood or find a local trail in a park or conservation area. Take note of the trees, birds, and flowers you see. If you don’t know what you are looking at, take some time to learn about it. Need help identifying what you are looking at? Use a free app, like the one developed by iNaturalist, to identify plants, birds, and animals and participate in citizen science projects.

I recently read about a woman, Natalie Fee, who spent an entire year visiting the same oak tree behind her home every day. She watched the changes that happened during the year, and found the experience brought an increased sense of calm into her life. She writes, “You don’t need to go far to find a spot in nature where you can sit and reflect. Nature knows what you need, and is always ready to offer it—you just need to be quiet enough to receive it.”

Just like a person you get to know so well that you become friends—or perhaps even fall in love—getting to know the place where you live and the flora and fauna with which you share space can bring you into deeper connection with the world you see every day. And just as we are moved to protect the people we love, we can also be moved to protect the Earth we live on.

“Give me the old familiar walk, post-office and all, with this ever new self, with this infinite expectation and faith, which does not know when it is beaten. We’ll go nutting once more. We’ll pluck the nut of the world, and crack it in the winter evenings. Theaters and all other sightseeing are puppet-shows in comparison. I will take another walk to the Cliff, another row on the river, another skate on the meadow, be out in the first snow, and associate with the winter birds. Here I am at home. In the bare and bleached crust of the earth I recognize my friend”. — Henry David Thoreau’s Journal, November 1, 1858.

The landscapes of many Historic New England properties are open to the public, for free, year-round. We also offer landscape and garden tours and outdoor events, where you can connect with nature and our communities.