Positives and Negatives Associated with a Lockdown-Induced Awakening of Interest in Nature

Isabella Tree makes several interesting points in her opinion piece on the impact of Covid-19 restriction on both humans and the natural world (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/28/lockdown-nature-expense-wildlife). Tree points out, that the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions of humans, actually benefitted certain animals (particularly ground-nesting birds) and plants by reducing factors like disturbance, mowing of roadside verges et cetera. A very basic example she provides is the marked reduction in the numbers of mammals ending up as road-kill, as a consequence of there being fewer cars on the roads. Bird song has also been much more prominent, with the relative absence of noise from cars and aircraft. Tree also notes, however, an encouraging lockdown increase in interest (almost a nostalgia?) for the natural world. This was evidenced by a massive increase in the accessing of webcams located in national parks, conservation areas and other places. Greater interest might well result in more support for conservation. She notes, however, that the easing of lockdown restrictions, over the summer led to a 'flood' of visitors (generally by car) to 'wild' places. Carparks at localities were overrun. There was also a massive increase in the disturbances to which animals were subjected, as well as trampling of areas away from designated paths. It was almost as if the 'new' human interest in nature, was partly responsible for destroying it. Tree argues, not unreasonably, that a) humans need to be better educated on ways of minimising their detrimental effects on nature and b) in the UK, in particular, we need to find ways of reducing the need to use cars to access our 'wild' places.