August 21, 2024  |  Dr. Nadina Galle

Introducing my keynote presentation at the Urban and Community Forestry Society (UCFS) conference and tradeshow on November 19, 2024, in Chicago. This event, held in conjunction with the Partners in Community Forestry Conference, is generously supported by PlanIT Geo.

In a world where social media offers thousands of virtual connections, same-day delivery brings everything to our doorstep, and remote work keeps us tied to our screens, Americans are paradoxically feeling more alone than ever. These modern conveniences, while incredibly efficient, have quietly eroded our face-to-face interactions with family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues, leading to an alarming rise in urban loneliness.

While loneliness has slightly diminished since the American Psychiatric Association (APA) recorded an all-time high during the pandemic, their latest poll reveals a sobering reality: about one in three U.S. adults feel lonely at least once a week. Even more concerning, one in ten Americans experience loneliness every single day.

Nature’s Role in Combating Mental Health Issues

As an ecological engineer and the author of “The Nature of Our Cities: Harnessing the Power of the Natural World to Survive a Changing Planet,” my focus is usually on how nature can create sustainable and resilient communities. However, in a world grappling with extreme heat, devastating floods, and unprecedented wildfires, the conversation rarely shifts to nature’s role in combating mental health issues. Like loneliness itself, this topic often gets swept under the rug. Though it may seem like a fleeting emotion, loneliness is both pervasive and dangerous. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is linked to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, addiction, dementia, and early death.

So when Leslie Berckes, Executive Director of the Urban and Community Forestry Society (UCFS), invited me to deliver the keynote on the impact of trees on loneliness at their upcoming conference and tradeshow, I jumped at the chance.

Blending Nature and Technology

On November 19, 2024, in Chicago, in conjunction with the Partners in Community Forestry Conference presented by the Arbor Day Foundation, I’ll be presenting my keynote, “Trees, Tech, and Togetherness: Nature’s Role in Easing Urban Loneliness.” As someone deeply passionate about blending nature and technology, I can’t wait to showcase cutting-edge global initiatives that reveal how tech can reconnect us with the natural world—and bring us closer to each other.

Our craving for genuine relationships is as ancient as humanity itself. From the earliest hunter-gatherer societies, where our very survival depended on close-knit groups, to today’s world, our need for connection remains just as vital. Even in infancy, we rely on strong attachment bonds with caregivers for our well-being. Research shows that our social environment profoundly shapes us, and we experience deep distress when those connections are threatened or severed.

Effective Strategies to Combat Urban Loneliness

The CDC offers several effective strategies to combat loneliness: spending quality time with family and friends, joining clubs or groups that spark your interest, expressing gratitude, getting to know your neighbors, and volunteering.

However, as cities become more developed, the spaces that foster these connections are dwindling. This is where our natural spaces and urban forests come into play. They provide the perfect backdrop for building relationships. The CDC explicitly acknowledges that spending time in nature with others is beneficial. What we need now is to foster innovative ways to engage with these natural spaces and integrate these essential interactions into our daily lives.

To facilitate these vital interactions, we need the right tools. In my keynote, I’ll draw insights from my latest book, “The Nature of Our Cities: Harnessing the Power of the Natural World to Survive a Changing Planet,” and introduce my concept of the “Internet of Nature.” This idea explores how technology can bridge the gap between the natural world and our digital lives to foster deeper connections.
From Melbourne’s emailing trees to Halifax’s texting trees and Amsterdam’s talking trees, each of these innovative projects addresses loneliness in unique ways. I’ll challenge the audience to see technology not as the problem but as a powerful tool to enhance our connection with urban forests—tools that are often underestimated.

“This idea explores how technology can bridge the gap between the natural world and our digital lives to foster deeper connections. From Melbourne’s emailing trees to Halifax’s texting trees and Amsterdam’s talking trees, each of these innovative projects addresses loneliness in unique ways.”