[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″ bg_color=”#efe8c2″][vc_text_separator title=”About this Resource”][bquote type=”site_background_colored vrv_active_colored” after_author=”West Virginia Resident” prk_in=”I am so inspired like all the time … I am surrounded by nature … I can hear my thoughts, you know, and deal with them.”][vc_column_text]In rural communities, connection to nature plays a critical role in many aspects of life, including mental and physical health, as well as a shared sense of place. Many people seek out the natural world to slow down, recharge, and find peace. In today’s technology-driven world where we are often pulled to always be connected and plugged in, escaping to the outdoors reinvigorates the pleasures of exploring the world around you, being present in the moment, and giving yourself time to ponder and reflect.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_text_separator title=”Author’s Note”][vc_column_text]
I grew up in the country surrounded by trees, bugs, and weather. I wasn’t able to see another house or person from my childhood home. As I grew up and moved away to college and then to more populated areas, I longed for a space where I could go to not bump into anyone or to not see anything man made. I realized I needed to get back into nature! I started camping, hiking, etc. As a rural library director in an area populated in the summer by people coming to get away from the city, I realized they were coming here to also get back into nature. Library visitors have come in to look for maps, ask about good hiking, swimming, or fishing spots, and find out what is happening in the area. Sharing the outdoors with family, friends, and the community is a joy when the natural world is respected and valued.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_text_separator title=”Nature: Going Beyond the Walls of the Library Tool” color=”custom” border_width=”2″][vc_column_text][ipt_fsqm_form id=”76″][/vc_column_text][vc_text_separator title=”Evaluation for Nature: Going Beyond the Walls of the Library” color=”custom” border_width=”2″][vc_column_text][ipt_fsqm_form id=”77″][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
