The global COVID19 pandemic and subsequent economic crisis are unprecedented, impacting on nearly every aspect of daily lives across the globe. The consequences are real and heart-breaking for the many families that have lost loved ones as well as those finding themselves without a job.

Infographic from @statisticallycartoon

For most, if not all of us, spending time outside - whether that’s in a garden, the countryside or a park - is critical for our mental and physical health.

There is no denying that COVID-19 poses a global challenge. However, as with many of the other issues that society faces, its positive and negative effects are spread unevenly. While some of those who have been infected by the virus have been hospitalised - incapacitated to the extent they need the help of a ventilator to breathe - others have symptoms so mild they have never even noticed they were host to the virus. While some families have mourned the loss of loved ones, others have remained largely unaffected, itching for a return to normality.  

Earthwatch researchers Beth Pudifoot and Victor Beumer explore why urban nature is so important, and why those of us who have access are lucky to during the COVID19 pandemic.