Are You Suffering from Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD)? Here’s a Neighborhood Cure

During these winter days, are you looking for a way to help reduce stress, anxiety, depression and maybe even improve your memory? Tired of asking yourself, “Why do I live here?” You may be suffering from Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD), a term coined by Richard Louv in his book, Last Child in the Woods (2009), describing the human costs of alienation from the natural world. Louv theorized that we are spending so little time with Nature that it is acutely affecting us in negative ways. In fact, E.O. Wilson maintains that we humans have an inherent need, called biophilia, located deep in our mitochondria, to bond with Nature. But, don’t despair, the treatment is right outside our door.

Recent research at the Aarhus University in Denmark concludes that children who grow up with greener surroundings, even just a city street near a park, have a significantly lower risk of developing stress related conditions later on. Studies in the growing field of ‘ecotherapy’ have shown a strong connection between time spent in nature and reduction of stress, anxiety, depression, increased creativity and empathy, lowered blood pressure and improved immune systems. (If you’re interesting in learning more, check out The Nature Fix by Florence Williams.) In fact, nature bonding, in the form of ‘forest bathing’, shinrinyoku, is standard preventive medicine in Japan where walking in and exposure to forests are used to treat depression, reduce stress and improve mental health in general. Some doctors are now writing prescriptions (Vitamin N) for children to ‘go outside’.

We also know that there’s a link between experiencing the natural world and behaving in a sustainable way. Studies suggest that spending more time with Nature has long-term implications for how we treat each other and how we can diminish our thirst to consume. So, the more we bond with nature, the healthier and kinder we will be – toward each other and toward the natural environment.

Convinced yet? But how much Vitamin N do we need? The latest research suggests that spending 120 minutes a week with Nature is associated with good health and well-being. In fact, it does not matter how our time is spent during the week--- one long walk or several shorter visits work as long as it includes exposure to open spaces in and around the city, including parks, canals and green areas. (This does not include shopping trips, checking your phone, chatting with others, or other distractions.) It is about reconnecting with Nature.

So how can we get our needed dose? The cure is right in our neighborhood and although the greener, the quieter, and the longer the time spent, the better, we do have some spaces near us that offer mental ‘time away’. In and around the bustling Kendall Square, larger green areas, ‘pocket parks’, waterways, and historic sites are just a walk-away. So get on your walking shoes, bundle up, hang up your phone or as they say ‘hang up and hang out’, and let’s check out some of these places. Approximate distances are included.

1. North Point and Paul Revere Parks (Approximately 3 miles round trip.) Our first walk takes us to North Point Park, an 8.5-acre park located on the Charles River that can be reached by taking Museum Way just across from the Museum of Science. The Park includes large, open green spaces, small islands, bridges, picnic tables, a playground, and beautiful canals. If you want to extend your walk, continue east over the new pedestrian and bicycle North Bank Bridge, to Paul Revere Park.

At the foot of the bridge, proceed under the Zakim Bridge to Paul Revere Park in Charlestown and, from there, you can enjoy the greenery and views from the Park or continue over the foot bridge to walk across the channel to get to the North End. If you want a longer stroll, you can proceed along the harbor through the Charlestown Navy Yard to the Constitution, the historic warship also known as ‘Old Ironsides’. Established in 1800, the Charlestown Navy Yard was one of the original six yards created to support the young United States Navy. For the next 174 years, the yard served as a hub of innovation, an employer of skilled workers, and a home to Naval officers, sailors, and U.S. Marines. The heart of the original Navy Yard is preserved as a historic site open to visitors year-round.

2. Broad Canal and Longfellow Bridge (Approximately 1.5 miles round trip.) Although this next walk doesn’t include much greenery, it has a rich history and the natural beauty of the Charles River and the Broad Canal. From the Esplanade, proceed west on the Cambridge Parkway and, at the end, cross Land Boulevard and First Street to the Broad Canal Walkway. Consider the history of this short canal previously larger and part of the now-vanished canal system that made Cambridge an active seaport.

The canal began in 1806 when Henry Hill, Rufus Davenport, and others laid out a canal system in the land and tidal flats along the Charles River. Connecting canals, like the Broad, ran through much of today's East Cambridge. No visible trace remains of that system (with the exception of the shortened Broad Canal). Extensive landfills have removed all remnants of Cambridge's seaport docks and wharves. In the spring you will see pairs of Canada Geese nesting along the side of Broad’s banks, migrating birds, like the Black-Crowned Night Heron, stopping on their way north, and turtles sunning on the logs and rocks. Or, when the ice leaves, rent a kayak at Paddle Boston at the end of the Canal, and paddle up and down the Charles River.

The Broad Canal enters the Charles River just north of the Longfellow Bridge, also known as the ‘Salt and Pepper Bridge’. Retrace your steps back and cross First Street and Land Boulevard and take the steps up to the bridge. The first bridge built on this site was a timber-pile structure constructed in 1793 connecting the secluded Bowdoin Square in Boston with the more commercial side of Cambridge, forever altering both neighborhoods. The Longfellow Bridge (originally called the Cambridge Bridge) was built in 1901 to replace the 1793 span. In 1927 the bridge was renamed to honor the local poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Major renovations were completed in 2018.

The bridge carries approximately 28,600 cars and 90,000 mass-transit passengers every weekday. Stop and take in the panorama. There aren’t any sailboats, Duck Boats, or rowers at this time of year but exposure to the water, the golden dome of the Statehouse, the seagulls, cormorants and winter ducks can provide a pause needed in our busy lives. A 1/28/20 article in the Boston Globe, ‘An ode to the view of Boston from a Red Line train crossing the Longfellow Bridge’ notes that ‘the moment the train crosses the span has been called the “best subway ride in America” because of the view’. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/01/27/metro/an-ode-view-boston-red-line-train-crossing-longfellow-bridge/?s_campaign=breakingnews:newsletter Then, if you have time and interest, walk over the bridge to the Boston side and proceed either north or south on the Esplanade Park path along the Charles River to extend your Nature connection.

3. Second Street Historical Area (Approximately 1.5 miles round trip.) A third walk takes us both back in time and to the contemporary Multicultural Arts Center within the city block between Second and Third Streets and Otis and Thorndike Streets. A nature-friendly way to get there is to head east out of the Esplanade walking along the river, past the Charlesgate Yacht Club and taking a left at the end of the path, following the Lechmere Canal to the Lechmere Canal Park facing the CambridgeSide Galleria. In the warmer weather, the Vellucci Fountain is turned on and sightseeing cruise boats depart from dock there. From the here, proceed north on Thorndike Street to Second Street. The old courthouse referred to as the ‘monster’ will be on your left. More information about that can be found at: https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2019/09/19/long-stalled-cambridge-courthouse-project-clears-crucial-hurdle/0c0Vz08bDgSioHwK7TvYSL/story.html

Our first stop is the Multicultural Arts Center on Second Street on the left side of the street as you proceed east. The Center’s home is in the old Middlesex County Court House. Its mission is to support diversity through the visual and performing arts events, making their space available to artists and groups who may not otherwise have access to a professionally equipped and accessible facility or the cultural mainstream. Check out their web site to see the schedule of events. http://www.multiculturalartscenter.org/ The Executive Director, Shelley Neill, who has been with the Arts Center 20 years. notes the changes she has seen in the neighborhood and hopes that history will be preserved. She also welcomes Esplanade Residents to check out the Multicultural Arts Center and its many events, programs and exhibits.

A note about the history of East Cambridge area: a seven-member committee has been appointed for an East Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District (NCD) study. The study will assess the character and history of the neighborhood, the development potential of each property, the unique aspects of the neighborhood that are valued by its residents. This action was taken in response to a petition filed several months ago by a number of long-term property owners and residents who have expressed concerns about the effects of development on the character of the neighborhood. The study will conclude with the drafting of a report and recommendations to the Historical Commission; enactment of the NDC will be up to the City Council. For more information and schedule of the neighborhood meetings see: https://www.cambridgema.gov/historic/districtsHistoricProperties/eastcambridgencdstudy

Much has been said recently about the business growth of Cambridge, and a number of publications have stressed the fact that Cambridge, and particularly the section known as East Cambridge (although with a history of many manufacturing centers) has been largely ignored. During the 1800s and early 1900s, big factories mixed with the houses In fact, there was in East Cambridge, the New England Glass Company, formed in 1818, that sent its products all over the world, and whose methods revolutionized the industry. It continued in East Cambridge until 1888. Also in East Cambridge was the Standard Turning Works, established in Boston in 1862 by F. Geldowsky, specializing in the manufacture of furniture and turnings in ivory and wood. By 1877, control of the company was transferred to P. Keeler & Son and production was moved to a larger factory in the area enclosed by First, Second, Otis, and Thorndike Streets.

As you leave the Arts Center, observe the row of houses across Second street that were the glass and furniture workers’ cottages in the 1800s. A good resource for East Cambridge’s history is https://cambridgehistory.org/ and the book All in the Same Boat: Twentieth-Century Stories of East Cambridge by East Cambridge resident Sarah Boyer. (You can buy a copy at the Multicultural Arts Center shop.)

Take time to walk through Centanni Park, a ‘pocket park’ in the restored Bullfinch Square between Second and Third Streets. The ‘pocket park ‘ hosts many events and is surrounded by the historic Middlesex County Courthouse building initially designed in 1814-1816 by noted architect Charles Bulfinch. Other buildings in the square include the Registry of Deeds and Probate Court (1896) with its four giant brick-columned porticos, the Clerk of Courts Building (1889), and the Third District Court Building (1931). The park, beautiful in the warmer weather, offers a lovely quietness in the winter . For a virtual walk in Autumn in Centanni Way check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zEjEWLVIxc

4. Museum of Science Green Wall and Butterfly House (Approximately ½ mile.) Want to get your Vitamin N indoors? Our fourth suggestion takes us to the nearby Museum of Science. Yes, we can benefit from nature indoors, listening to recorded nature sounds, growing indoor plants, and even looking at pictures of natural settings. The goal is to get your mind away from hurried, bustling settings and surround yourself with the peacefulness of a natural setting as the MOS has done with its living wall of greenery greeting visitors as they enter the building. Stop at the wall and take a minute to view the Charles River and the Esplanade Condominium through the window wall.

Next take the escalator to the second floor to the Butterfly House and walk among the free-flying butterflies in this warm conservatory filled with exotic plants. Overlooking the Charles River, this tropical oasis offers a wonderful opportunity to get close to a variety of living butterflies from New England and across the globe. It will also warm you up as you get your needed Vitamin N in the comfort of this beautiful setting.

5. Along the River to the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge and Back (Approximately 2 miles round trip.) Take a right out of our building onto Cambridge Parkway and proceed, with the river on your left, to the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge. You can continue your walk over the bridge or take the one mile stroll back. This round trip takes you past MIT and Harvard Sailing Clubs and beautiful views of the city and the water. There are benches all along to sit and enjoy.

One curious fact about the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge is that it is marked off in ‘smoots’, a peculiar unit of measure. In 1958, members of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at MIT measured the bridge's eastern sidewalk by using that year's shortest pledge, Oliver R. Smoot, 5 feet 7 inches tall, as a measuring stick. Years after this stunt, Smoot became president of the American National Standards Institute, and later president of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Markers painted at 10-smoot (55.83 ft; 17.02 m) intervals give the bridge's length 364.4 smoots long, ‘plus one ear’. During the major reconstruction in the 1980s, the new sidewalks were divided into smoot-length slabs rather than the standard six feet, and the smoot markings were painted on the new deck. Officials tried to omit the smoot markings from the reconstructed bridge, but stopped when it was realized that police routinely used the smoot marks as reference points in accident reports.

6 Front Park (Approximately 100 yards.) For a quick Nature fix, just outside our door is Front Park with the sculpture, Gatehouse by Lloyd Hamrol in 1986. According the sculptor, Gatehouse invites your physical participation. The structures function as portals. You can walk through them. The shapes also act as windows. Look through them. They frame different views depending on where you stand. As you walk around, inside and through the piece, think about how it shapes your perspective on the surrounding environment. How many different views can you experience? Is there an inside or an outside? Does this piece have a beginning or end? Do you think the title Gatehouse accurately reflects the piece? Does it look like a house? Does it remind you of a gate? But, if you only have a few minutes, circle the park and take a seat on one of the several benches for a very easy way to get a dose of Vitamin D! For more information on Gatehouse: https://www2.cambridgema.gov/cac_5_4_2009/public_art_tour/map_12_08_activity.html Gatehouse in Front Park

7. Triangle Park—oh wait, it’s not finished yet but here’s the latest. (Just across Land Boulevard.) Gary Chan with the Cambridge Development Department said that, as a result of a year-long Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP) that determined that East Cambridge has ‘less of a tree canopy’ than other areas of Cambridge, the department took another look at the original plan for Triangle Park. So it was decided to save the original trees on the site (see picture) and add more trees than were included in the original plan. About the UFMP: it includes a ‘strategic plan to evaluate, maintain and expand the urban forest canopy while being more resilient to climate change, reducing the urban heat island effect, mitigating storm water runoff, reducing nutrient runoff, and contributing to community well-being.’ For more information see: https://www.cambridgema.gov/Departments/publicworks/Initiatives/urbanforestmasterplan

Chan noted that ‘in addition to a tree canopy emphasis, there will be less plaza space in the new Triangle Park’. (Perhaps not enough for forest bathing but adding lovely shaded areas and beauty and color year-round!) The revised design is in the works now and the updated plan should be ready approximately mid-March. At that time, the Development Department will invite the neighbors to an informational meeting. (We at the ECG will keep you posted.) For more information: https://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/Projects/Parks/~/~/media/F14ECA0CFEAF4071BDFF6837923B50CB.ashx

So, now you have some options for treating that NDD! If you have other suggestions for our hearty readers, please let us know by responding to this e-mail or commenting in the blog below.

—Jane Hilburt-Davis