Go Wild and enjoy nature on your doorstep

This June, it's all about nature '“ for everybody, everywhere, every day, with The Wildlife Trusts' annual challenge, 30 Days Wild.
People are being urged to get outside and enjoy nature each day this June, just like the Pharoah family at Milton LocksPeople are being urged to get outside and enjoy nature each day this June, just like the Pharoah family at Milton Locks
People are being urged to get outside and enjoy nature each day this June, just like the Pharoah family at Milton Locks

Enjoy the nature on your doorstep with inspiring random acts of wildness – practical, fun and quirky ideas for connecting with the wild around us.

Spend an evening stargazing, build a bughouse, become a stream sleuth, enjoy mindfulness in a meadow, or even sit in the garden, sipping a G&T and watching butterflies!

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People can spend a few minutes, or a few hours, each day enjoying nature.

How you do it is up to you. The Wildlife Trust will be on hand to offer advice.

And its official, a daily dose of nature, even in bitesize chunks, is good for you. The impact of taking part in 30 Days Wild has been tracked by academics at the University of Derby.

Their study found that people who did something ‘wild’ each day for a month, felt happier, healthier and more connected to nature.

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From walking barefoot in the park to feeding garden birds, all sorts of activities proved positive for people – with added benefits for the natural world too.

Dr Miles Richardson, director of psychology, who led the study, said: ‘The impact of 30 Days Wild adds to the compelling argument for bringing nature into our everyday lives.

‘Two months after taking part in 30 Days Wild, there was a 30 per cent increase in the number of people who reported their health as excellent.

‘Last year’s results also show people’s happiness continued to improve after 30 Days Wild ended, which illustrates its sustained impact.

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‘This is important as it is happiness and connecting with nature that influence improvements in health.

‘Our study also shows that those who benefitted most were younger adults and those who didn’t consider themselves nature lovers’.

Lucy McRobert at The Wildlife Trust added: ‘Last year thousands of people carried out 1.8m random acts of wildness during 30 Days Wild.

‘That’s 1.8m precious moments that brought people closer to nature and enhanced their lives.

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‘The Wildlife Trusts aim to double that number this year – and we hope that the connections people make with the wild around them will ensure that it is better protected for the future too.’

Get involved by searching 30 Days Wild online, or visiting hiwwt.org.uk

n Tweet, Facebook and e-mail your pictures to The News throughout June.

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