Downloads for the Backroads: A Techie’s Guide to the Best Apps for Exploring Nature
Birding in the Bay? Stargazing among the Sequoias? These tools are for the very online venturing outdoors.
Modern technology is everywhere, often in various forms of screen time. That makes it a popular scapegoat for the increasing, collective loss of our human connection to the natural world. It’s not just that time spent using technology has replaced time in nature, it’s also that for many nature is farther away: Over half the world’s population now lives in urban settings, a figure that rises to around 80% in high-income regions such as North America, Japan and Western Europe.
As this disconnect from nature spreads, we are also learning that spending time in nature is integral to our overall health and happiness. Studies have shown that even simple acts like a walk in a city park and observing birds and wildlife provide a greater sense of connection and well-being. Luckily, on the flip side of our world of modern technology are incredible tech-driven programs that can help bridge this disconnect.