30 Days Wild encourages everyone to enjoy nature in our neighbourhoods through daily Random Acts of Wildness: listening to bird song, gazing at butterflies, growing borage for bees and making the most of our parks, gardens and school grounds. Evidence shows that taking part can also make us happier and healthier.
Supporting the 30 Days Wild challenge this year are:
Ellie Harrison, presenter of Countryfile and President of the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, said: “Being outside in nature makes us all well. The smallest moments connecting - the surprise of a beetle revealing its wings; the fleeting secrets of bats at dusk; or the puff of valuable pollen from flowers we saw as weeds - all bring us wonder and enchantment. This June we’re challenging you to a Random Act of Wildness every single day of the month. What will you be delighted by?”
James McVey of The Vamps said, “30 Days Wild is a fantastic challenge and everyone can take part - whether it’s building a den, listening to the dawn chorus or visiting a favourite wild place, enjoying our wonderful wildlife can help us to feel happier and healthier, I’ll be joining in this June!”
Dr Amir Khan from Channel 5’s GPs behind closed doors said; “Spending time outdoors, enjoying wildlife on our doorstep and in our communities is free and can benefit our mental and physical health in so many ways. Spend a few moments every day in June taking part in random acts of wildness – notice something new in nature, climb a tree or create space for nature in your neighbourhood - The Wildlife Trusts has lots of ideas and inspiration to help you make the most of the 30 Days Wild challenge. Go Wild!”
The Wildlife Trust’s Leanne Manchester says: “30 Days Wild is a much-loved challenge and it’s set to be an exciting month for everyone taking part. Experiencing a moment of nature every day on our doorstep or during lunchtime at work is elating in June when wildlife is so active and visible. Take time out to sit in a wild spot, enjoy the sunset or feel cool grass between your toes – June is such a beautiful month and the perfect time to go a bit wild.”
The impact of taking part in 30 Days Wild has also 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, with added benefits for the natural world too.*
Miles Richardson from the University of Derby said; “Our research looked at the impact of 30 Days Wild on 1000 people, two months after completing the challenge. All those taking part benefitted, feeling 30% healthier than when they started on average. People who reported a disconnect from nature and who spend less time outdoors, showed the greatest improvement in happiness and pro-conservation behaviours.
“At a time when poor mental health is on the rise and the decline of our wildlife show no sign of slowing down, 30 Days Wild demonstrates what a much-needed new relationship with nature might look like, for everyone, throughout the year.”
This year 30 Days Wild is encouraging care homes to share the joy of nature with their residents. For the first time, there’s a specially tailored activity pack and over 350 care homes have so far signed up to take part. Among them is the Your Health Ltd group, which has ten care homes across England and trialled 30 Days Wild activities last year. The homes saw some remarkable benefits as a result of taking part, with residents experiencing less anxiety and fewer falls. Langworth Lodge residential home is in Nottinghamshire and is looking forward to taking part again – read more in their blog here.
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust volunteer Louise Baker trialled activities in the residential homes last year and says: “It doesn’t matter where our homes are, each will take something from the challenge and no two days, or activities will be the same. Our homes occupy urban streets, landscaped parkland and rural locations - one home will enjoy the birdsong heard in its suburban garden, while another will record wildlife that thrives in its wildflower meadow and orchard. We are looking forward to another magical month.”
Sign-up to 30 Days Wild is still open, download a free pack! Over the next month, thousands of wonderful experiences will be shared on social media. Take a look at #30DaysWild @30DaysWild and see how daily connections with nature are inspiring people to enjoy the wild world around them wherever they live!
ENDS
Images: You are welcome to use images in this dropbox. Please note that all images are for one-off use only in connection with this story and The Wildlife Trusts. All photographers must be credited. I’m afraid that we do not have images of the celebrities quoted above
Case studies of people who took part in 30 Days Wild are available.
Contact: Emma Lusby, Communications Officer, elusby@wildlifetrusts.org 07733 362775
Editors’ notes
* University of Derby’s evaluation of 30 Days Wild
The University of Derby have monitored participants of 30 Days Wild since it began in 2015.
30 Days Wild: Development and Evaluation of a Large-Scale Nature Engagement Campaign to Improve Well-Being by Miles Richardson, Adam Cormack, Lucy McRobert, Ralph Underhill was published Feb 2016. Online here.
30 Days Wild and the Relationships Between Engagement With Nature’s Beauty, Nature Connectedness and Well-Being by Miles Richardson and Kirsty McEwan was published September 2018. Online here.
30 Days Wild: who benefits most? By Miles Richardson, Kirsty McEwan and Gulcan Garip was published June 2018. Online here
30 Days Wild fact file
- 2015: 30 Days Wild challenge was started by The Wildlife Trusts; 12,400 people signed up
- 2016: 25,000 people signed up including individuals, families, schools and businesses
- 2017: 49,000 people signed up including individuals, families, schools and businesses – estimated 254,960 participants.
- 2018: 68,000 people signed up including individuals, families, schools and businesses – estimated over 350,000 participants. Sign up so far suggests last year’s figures will be beaten.
30 Days Wild sign-up packs and phone app
- Sign-up to take part in 30 Days Wild www.wildlifetrusts.org/30DaysWild
- Free packs will be sent to the first 50,000 people who sign up - digital packs available too: www.wildlifetrusts.org/30DaysWild
- Phone app - Digital delivery of daily ideas and Random Acts of Wildness here www.wildlifetrusts.org/30DaysWild/App
- Workplaces can join in too, with tailored packs to bring the ‘wild’ to work.
The Wildlife Trusts wildlifetrusts.org
There are 46 individual Wildlife Trusts covering the whole of the UK. All are working for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone. We have more than 800,000 members including 150,000 members of our junior branch Wildlife Watch. Our vision is to create A Living Landscape and secure Living Seas. We care for around 2,300 nature reserves and every year we advise thousands of landowners and organisations on how to manage their land for wildlife. We also run marine conservation projects around the UK, collecting vital data on the state of our seas and celebrating our amazing marine wildlife. Every year we work with thousands of schools and our nature reserves welcome millions of visitors. Each Wildlife Trust is working with local communities to inspire people about the future of their area: their own Living Landscapes and Living Seas.