Here at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust we’re eagerly counting down to the start of this year’s 30 Days Wild – June’s national nature challenge to do something wild every day for a month. Back for its sixth year, 2020’s challenge is more important than ever as we all continue to enjoy the wildlife close to our homes.
30 Days Wild is for everyone, wherever you live and no matter what your age! This year, all the amazing resources will be exclusively online and include a colourful wallchart, a wild bingo game, colour-in window poster and a passport log-book with ideas to record your wild actions. You could do some nature inspired crafting, go plastic-free for a day or take action for bugs, bees and butterflies in your garden.
People signing up can receive more ideas from The Wildlife Trusts throughout June such as inspiration about wildlife gardening, nature photography and even making wildlife films.
The results of a five-year study, released just this week, show that taking part in 30 Days Wild not only significantly increases people’s wellbeing and heightened sense of nature – it also shows that benefits last for up to two months after the challenge is over. It also seems that the people who benefit most are those with a relatively weak connection with nature when they start. We also know that people who feel connected to nature, they are also more likely to care for it.
Whilst at times it can be hard in our busy lives to make time to get outside, our experience during lockdown is that more people have been making this time and connecting with wildlife in their gardens and locally in their neighbourhoods.
Last year a record 400,000 people took part, the highest number yet. More than 9,000 schools and nearly a quarter of a million children took part and last year was the first time an activity pack for care homes was produced and we had a great response. A study with homes in 2018 reported that residents felt calmer, happier and even had fewer falls and we’re delighted a number of homes have already signed up in Nottinghamshire this year.
June is one of the best times to see wildlife with birds nesting and singing, butterflies fluttering and wild flowers blooming. Thousands of people are already looking forward to taking part – including me – and to sharing their ‘random acts of wildness’. You can join this fabulous online community and share your ideas via #30DaysWild.
Whilst people love our wildlife, we also know it is really needs our help. So this year, we’ll also be sharing simple actions that everyone can take to help care for it in their homes and gardens.
Get Involved
Sign up today at www.wildlifetrusts/30DaysWild.
Our Big Wild Weekend events will focus on nature at home and on Saturday 20th June everyone’s invited to camp in their back garden or create a wild and beautiful nature den indoors!
You can also read a blog about last year’s 30 Days Wild and the impact it had on staff and residents at Langwith Lodge Residential Home at www.wildlifetrusts.org/blog/30-days-wild-langwith-lodge-residential-home.
Photos © Matt Berry, Mike Vickers, Kawai Shing