Of Health and Trees

recently celebrated a birthday and received a book of poems by Mary Oliver ’59. I have talked with alums who were here during Mary’s time at Vassar and have heard how much time Mary spent on the campus, sometimes sitting in a tree.

Like Mary Oliver, so many of us have drawn inspiration from the arboretum that is Vassar’s campus over the years. I particularly enjoy gazing at the spruce tree near the President’s House that was planted in the 1870s—imagining it has seen women gain the right to vote, two world wars, at least two pandemics, and many, many graduations and celebrations. During Covid, the arboretum played a special role, as it provided an outdoor space in which we could socialize without masks and without fear. It preserved us in a time of great anxiety—giving us a peaceful outlet, a quiet respite, and a meaningful sense of place.

The human uplift trees bring is not solely based on anecdotal evidence, although we all have our personal experiences. Research studies also link immersion in nature to health. This evidence is robust and compelling. Tree bathing, for instance—when one is quiet and calm among the trees—has been associated with improved immune system function, cardiovascular health, better respiratory health, less depression and anxiety, and increased feelings of gratitude and awe. Although the evidence about tree bathing is largely from Japan and China, studies conducted in the West have also concluded that nature is good for one’s health. A recent literature review, which included experimental studies, reported that exposure to nature was associated with improved cognitive function, brain activity, blood pressure, mental health, physical activity, and sleep.

How fitting that a liberal arts college—where developing healthy habits is fundamental to learning—would have an arboretum to foster not only beauty but also the physical and mental health of all who take the time to enjoy it.

This year, when we celebrate 100 years of the Vassar arboretum, let us pause to contemplate how much wisdom and experience is embedded in these trees, offering us perspective, balance, and humility.

Turning back to Mary Oliver, who wrote often about nature and the intersection of humans, we remember that we are but a part of the larger cosmos. Let us find comfort in our humble place in this world. As Mary Oliver wrote:

I go down to the shore in the morning
and depending on the hour the waves
are rolling in or moving out,
and I say, oh, I am miserable,
what shall—
what should I do? And the sea says
in its lovely voice:
Excuse me, I have work to do.

Come visit and enjoy the arboretum!