Florence Williams: The Nature Fix


Award-winning science and nature writer Florence Williams visits Asheville and the Arboretum on Wednesday, April 12, in connection with her acclaimed book
The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative. Chosen as the first Arboretum Reads selection in 2019, The Nature Fix set the tone for how many of us sought respite and healing in nature from the earliest days of the pandemic. Now three years later, we’re still reading and finding Williams’ amassing of research on the benefits of nature compelling evidence to get outside! 

 

Williams’ visit to the area is presented by Adult & Continuing Education Programs at the Arboretum in collaboration with Reems Creek Nursery, Asheville Wellness Tours, and Malaprop’s Bookstore.

Onsite Events

  • Book Discussion | ONSITE at the Arboretum | Thursday, April 6, 2 – 3:30 p.m. Additional dates for reading together in April will be determined.

    In April, it’s Arboretum Re-Reads! We’re looking back to The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative by Florence Williams, who joins us Wednesday, April 12, at the Arboretum to lead a Forest Bathing experience in the afternoon and share her thoughts since writing the book and the accolades and acclaim The Nature Fix and her latest book, Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey, received worldwide. 

    For centuries, poets and philosophers extolled the benefits of a walk in the woods: Beethoven drew inspiration from rocks and trees; Wordsworth composed while tromping over the heath; Nikola Tesla conceived the electric motor while visiting a park. Intrigued by our storied renewal in the natural world, Florence Williams set out to uncover the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain.

    From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to groves of eucalyptus in California, Williams investigated the science at the confluence of environment, mood, health, and creativity. She delved into recent research and uncovered the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and ultimately strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas — and the answers they yield — are more urgent than ever.

    Arboretum Reads is a bi-monthly conversation that shares the best in science and nature titles. In-person meetings at the Arboretum encourage making connections in nature that celebrate where we learn and grow in place in Southern Appalachia. Online reading circles extend the conversation to those who can’t attend in person. Adult & Continuing Education Programs Manager Rebecca Caldwell facilitates these onsite and online discussions and will convene groups to continue reading together through April and May.

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  • Forest Bathing: A Nature Fix with Florence Williams | ONSITE | Wednesday, April 12, 2 – 4:30 p.m.

    We’re sorry. This event is currently sold out. Please indicate your interest on our wait list below and we will be in touch if we are able to add more spaces. 

    Join author and certified forest bathing guide Florence Williams (The Nature Fix, Heartbreak), for an immersive nature program in the Arboretum Forest. She will lead gentle practices and invite participants to experience the sensory, health-giving, and mindfulness-enhancing wonders of these woods. Plan to spend two to three hours, and bring comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing, Participants will be contacted one day prior to the event with meeting location information and additional guidelines.

    Add Me to the Wait List!

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  • The Nature Fix: Florence Williams on Why Time in Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier & More Creative | ONSITE at the Arboretum | Wednesday, April 12, 6 – 7:30 p.m.

    Spending just five more minutes in nature can have untold benefits. What’s the cure for our modern malaise of stress, distraction, and screen addiction? Nature, of course! Those of us who enjoy walking the Arboretum’s trails, putting our hands in the soil for spring gardening, looking at trees, or listening to birdsong all know the restorative powers of time in nature. But while many people advocate the benefits of getting outside, we are only just beginning to understand what really happens to us physiologically, psychologically and spiritually when we venture out and make connections in nature. Join award-winning author Florence Williams in this golden hour talk set at the Arboretum’s Education Center. Surrounded by cultivated gardens and forested landscapes, we can enjoy a nature fix in good company. Books will be available for purchase onsite through Malaprop’s Bookstore for Florence Williams to sign.

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Online Events

  • Book Discussion | ONLINE | Thursday, April 6, 6:30 – 8 p.m. Additional dates for reading together online in April will be determined.

    In April, it’s Arboretum Re-Reads! We’re looking back to The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative by Florence Williams, who joins us Wednesday, April 12, at the Arboretum to lead a Forest Bathing experience in the afternoon and share her thoughts since writing the book and the accolades and acclaim The Nature Fix and her latest book, Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey, received worldwide. 

    For centuries, poets and philosophers extolled the benefits of a walk in the woods: Beethoven drew inspiration from rocks and trees; Wordsworth composed while tromping over the heath; Nikola Tesla conceived the electric motor while visiting a park. Intrigued by our storied renewal in the natural world, Florence Williams set out to uncover the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain.

    From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to groves of eucalyptus in California, Williams investigated the science at the confluence of environment, mood, health, and creativity. She delved into recent research and uncovered the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and ultimately strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas — and the answers they yield — are more urgent than ever.

    Arboretum Reads is a bi-monthly conversation that shares the best in science and nature titles. In-person meetings at the Arboretum encourage making connections in nature that celebrate where we learn and grow in place in Southern Appalachia. Online reading circles extend the conversation to those who can’t attend in person. Adult & Continuing Education Programs Manager Rebecca Caldwell facilitates these onsite and online discussions and will convene groups to continue reading together through April and May.

    LEARN MORE