Shropshire Star comment: The great outdoors is good for you

The forester has spent a lifetime tending the soil and it has provided him with good physical and mental health. Not for him the rat race.

Doug feels the earth beneath his feet, the wind in his hair, the call of bird song. And those provide him with a health advantage that others can only dream of.

While many workers face sedentary daytimes, stuck behind desks, rarely moving from their chair, Doug enjoys the beauty of Cannock Chase.

He made an informed decision and stuck to his guns. He was not lured to an office when things got cold or wet in winter. Doug, therefore, is a man whose voice matters.

When he says we ought to spend more time in our countryside, we should – whether that’s the beautiful hills of Shropshire and Mid Wales, our canal towpaths, our meres or the Welsh coast.

There is no doubt that enjoying our beautiful countryside is good for the soul. And in a world in which everything seems to happen at a thousand miles an hour, taking time out to enjoy the peace provided by nature has arguably never been so important.

We are blessed with some stunning examples around the region. Getting out there to enjoy them and give ourselves a lift in the meantime is the perfect antidote to the stresses and strains of modern life, and it doesn’t even have to cost anything.

The Government can and should do more to protect such spaces. Too often, the need to focus on arts, leisure and recreation is lost as we busily lurch to other matters.

And yet such pursuits can help to improve the quality of our life, in addition to extending its duration. Investment in such spaces and providing them with protection from developers helps. But careful measures to assist in land management are also necessary.

It is heartening that all of us, no matter where we live, can enjoy some green spaces. They might be modest in comparison to the Forestry Commission’s land, but they exist.

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While it’s important to avoid being alarmist and to retain a sense of perspective, there is little doubting the direction of traffic for coronavirus. Simply put: things are going to get worse before they improve.

The government has set out its plan to keep the coronavirus in check and, as you would expect, it has a contingency for worst case scenarios, while emphasising there is no need to be unduly alarmed. Many will welcome the planning – although there will no doubt be some concern about measures that could see the police switching to dealing with just serious crime.

Nevertheless, it is sensible and responsible to plan for all eventualities – and of course in the meantime it bears repeating, as the prime minister did – that washing your hands is the best way to stay healthy.

Already, local shops have sold out of antibacterial hand gels and there are anecdotal reports of people starting to stock up on food.

Britain once adopted a great mantra that applies to many situations: keep calm and carry on. There will be considerable difficult and upheaval, but life will go on and we must be vigilant and take precautions.