All the cities around the world are affected by the impacts of COVID-19 in all aspects of life. The dramatic social distancing that suddenly became the norm, and the decline of public space usage with almost total death in some places, forced people to look for new safer outdoor retreats.
This situation brought nature and the importance of green spaces in our lives to the forefront. Nature exposure became crucial for mental health in addition to its importance as an outdoor escape from this dire situation we are all facing.
Starting from green balconies as the most domestic solution, reaching to walks in the woods and camping, being the solutions that people are seeking as ‘nature remedy’ for what we have suddenly lost. So, lots of activists and researchers around the world are exploiting this time to point out the great importance of green spaces and their real value in our lives, regarding this time as pivotal for the amendment of the nature-human relationship that has been lost or declining throughout the years.
But what about the places that severely lack green spaces/ natural retreats in the first place? How would the residents seek outdoor retreats amidst all the prevailing precautions of the pandemic?
Cairo, the capital of Egypt, is one of the cities with the least green spaces per capita in the world. In addition, with the Easter holidays approaching, the government decided to close all parks and beaches around the country, in order to prevent the social gatherings that usually take place during the holidays.
Read the full article on Landscape Exchange
Author: Merham Keleg
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