Biophobia: people’s aversion to nature

"Evidence suggests that biophobia is a growing trend in many parts of the world. Ironically, this trend has emerged during a time when increasing people’s biophilia has become a critical challenge for ensuring the sustainability of the human relationship with nature. As highlighted in this review, biophobia can harm public health and undermine conservation, but lacks unified research. Although foundational theories and concepts have been established, a deeper and interdisciplinary understanding of the manifestations, drivers, and feedback loops associated with the human aversion to nature is urgent." >>
Toward a unified understanding of people’s aversion to nature: biophobia >>
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fee.70019
#nature #biodiversity #conservation #phobias #BioPhobia #dendrophobia #arachnophobia #NatureAnxiety #wildlife #climate

Image: Iconic Bellingen stump on widened North Bank Road

38% of the world's tree species are at risk of #extinction.
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/un-cop16-nature-talks-are-gridlocked-scientists-warn-extinction-risks-2024-10-28/

#People in #Melbourne have cut down, ripped out and killed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of young trees in #parks in a number of suburbs.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-29/trees-vandalised-destroyed-glen-eira-parks/104531556
#Cop16 #biodiversity #trees #suburbs #Australia #dendrophobia

My employer just redecorated a small meeting room into a kind of stress or panic relief room. Spiky stress balls included. At the walls, they hung some photos of trees with the sun coming in from behind, the usual stuff.

I was briefly tempted to ask "but what about dendrophobic people?"

#panicroom #stressrelief #dendrophobia

Community hostility to trees

"The government planted 5,350 fewer trees than scheduled over the last year. Some residents have removed street trees illegally. However, the directorate does not publish details of where or how many trees are illegally felled."

Parking on nature strips harms street trees
"Parked vehicles also crush tree roots. The damage... parking causes, saying cars permanently compact the soil, which removes air and the ability of water to seep into the soil."

#The directorate says street trees reduce stormwater run-off, cool suburbs down, are vital for wildlife and are associated with higher property prices."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-18/urban-forest-growing-slower-than-planned/102987416
#trees #dendrophobia #parking #cars #motorists #community #climate #wildlife #soil