Why we should keep outdoors wild

The outdoors act as natural escapism—mountainscapes become a wall against stress, and moody woodlands transition us into another world. Exploring outside mimics the feeling of reading a good book, which only adds to our motive to do whatever we can to keep the outdoors wild, rugged, and unruly!

Can you imagine a world without the outdoors? First of all, we would not be here. Second of all, it would be bleak, gray, with an eerie, hopeless feeling. So how can we play our part in keeping the outdoors wild? And how else should we keep the outdoors rugged and magical? Let’s get into it.

Why should we keep the outdoors wild?

1. The outdoors protect us

The outdoors plays a significant role in protecting us from extreme carbon emissions, as national parks and green spaces soak up harmful stuff floating in our air. Think of the wild outdoors as a shield. We need our nature to stay healthy for us to stay healthy! If that’s not motive enough to keep the outdoors wild and natural, we don’t know what is.

Wilderness campsite under the starry sky

2. Consider the animals

If you shrugged your shoulders at that last point (we hope you didn’t), perhaps we can pull at your heartstrings with this: consider the animals. Dare we say more? We will, but we probably don’t need to. Wild animals need a healthy ocean, lush forest, etc., to survive and continue the cycle of life. Unfortunately, so many animals have gone or are on the brink of going extinct over the last while. According to the Canadian Wildlife Federation, wildlife is essential for fisheries, agriculture, forestry, whereas activities, such as wildlife viewing, play a huge role in the economy. They also help with pollination, pest control, germination, to name a few.

Beautiful moose resting on the colorful grass

3. A creative, refreshing space for humans

As mentioned above, nature can act as a form of escapism, granting the mind to enter a state of freedom and relaxation. And sometimes, you may find that the wild propel fresh, new, and creative perspectives and ideas. In addition, the outdoors are great for children and adults alike to foster their imagination. Heck, even a short walk outside during your lunch break can give you a creative boost!

Spending time outside is a fantastic way to boost your mental health as well as your physical health. We need our unruly backyard as a place to take a break from the world or tackle our current inner battles in a safe, calm, soothing space. The bottom line: we need the outdoors to stay wild. Period.

Five grizzlies feeding in the wilderness

What can we do to help keep the outdoors wild?

Like you, we don’t want to see some of the scenarios discussed above flush out into reality. Earth without wildlife? Earth without nature? No thanks. So what can we do to keep the outdoors wild?

• Practice leave-no-trace principles, such as picking up after yourself, your dog, and others, and depositing the trash in the right bin if available—compost, recycling, general garbage.
• Spend more time outdoors when possible to avoid adding to that electricity bill. Your wallet will be happy, too!
• Avoid washing your dishes directly into a stream or water source and dig your hole for personal deposits at least 60 m away from a river!
• Keep your dogs on leash to prevent them from hurting wildlife in designated on-leash areas. We don’t care if your dog is the friendliest in the world—the signs requesting you to keep your dog on a leash are there for a reason.
• When exploring your backyard, stay on the trail to prevent erosion and harming wildlife.
• Stick to designated campsites or, if wild camping, pitch your tent on a sustainable area, such as dirt and avoid setting up on grass as this can cause harm.
• Be fire safe—don’t start a fire when it’s banned. When you’re allowed to light a fire, ensure you have a border of rocks surrounding it if you’re deep in the wild and a good dirt bed below it.

Let’s work together to protect the outdoors!