18 May 2024
From butterfly spotting to barefoot yoga in one of St Albans’ wonderful parks, from listening to the dawn chorus to watching bats at dusk, Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust is inviting the local community to take part in 30 Days Wild and connect with nature this June.
Over the past decade, millions of participants have benefitted from countless acts of wildness, and it is hoped even more people will take part this year with individuals and families, schools, businesses and care homes encouraged to sign-up for specific participation packs.
Back in 2014, the inaugural year of the challenge, nationally 12,000 participants led the charge, whilst over half a million people signed up to take part last year. 30 Days Wild has helped people to get outside, enjoy and connect with nature as part of their every-day lives – and there is scientific evidence that it has delivered many benefits for health and wellbeing.
A study found a significant increase in people’s health, happiness, and connection to nature through participating in 30 Days Wild. People reported feeling more relaxed, reduced stress levels, and a greater motivation to protect wildlife which lasted long after the campaign ended.
Herts and Middlesex Trust engagement manager Heidi Mansell said: “This June promises to be a bumper 30 Days Wild as we celebrate 10 years of the UK’s biggest nature challenge, as well as the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust’s 60th anniversary year. We would love to see people of all ages and abilities participating and enjoying the health and wellbeing benefits of getting closer to nature. Everyone who signs up gets a useful pack full of great ideas to inspire them to do a small, wild thing every day during June and there are some great freebies too, including packets of seeds.
“June is a fantastic month to appreciate nature and the outdoors – there’s just so much to see at this time of year and hopefully we will get the weather to enjoy it too!
“In terms of some ideas, how about eating your breakfast outdoors, or setting a timer for one minute and listening to bird song? Simply watching the clouds from your window can provide a moment of peace and a connection with nature.
“The live peregrine webcams at St Albans Cathedral are available for everyone to get a bird’s-eye view of chicks on the nest – if you haven’t tuned in already, why not take a look? Perhaps you could make a conscious effort to enjoy watching the bees and butterflies in your school grounds, garden, neighbourhood, or local park? Maybe take a nature-inspired selfie and send it to your mates?
“How about doing something community-minded such as putting on some gloves and picking up the litter in your street or workplace, organising a plant swap with your neighbours or colleagues in the office, or meeting up with them at dusk for bat watching? You could make your 30 Days Wild a social occasion and get together with colleagues, friends or family for a local stroll, taking in what blooms, moves or makes a noise as you go?
“If you have the flexibility to get down low, you could take a closer look at the cracks in the pavement and watch the busy critters who live beneath our feet! There’s just so much you can do to suit your own circumstances and it needn’t take much time or money – I really can’t emphasise enough what you will get out of taking part and forging a deeper connection with our natural world.”
Here are some more specific ways to enjoy taking part in 30 Days Wild in St Albans:
- Come along to the free, drop-in Peregrine Watch events, which the Trust is running in collaboration with the St Albans local RSPB Group, in the grounds of St Albans Cathedral and enjoy a close-up view of the birds through the binoculars and telescopes provided. Go to hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/events for more information.
- Visit the Trust’s Wildlife Garden in Verulamium Park and see if you can spot the newts in the pond – you certainly won’t be able to miss Willoughby, the giant hedgehog!
- Get along to SustFest Expo being held at Alban Arena, from June 7-9. More information can be found at hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/events/sustfest-expo-2024
St Albans resident Lee Wood and his daughter took part in 30 Days Wild in 2023: “There was a time when thinking about a summer evening, my memories were of the smell of a barbecue and the distant hum of a lawnmower somewhere down the road.
“30 Days Wild and the joy it has brought to my daughter and I now means that summer is now chasing butterflies, the sparkle of sunshine on the river, the smell of ripening berries and the taste of the ones not quite ready. We can recognise the sound of swifts, the rustle through the trees of the warm breeze and following the sound of a honey bee.
“We’ve always loved being outside, but the challenge of finding new things to do, new stories to tell on our return home (complete with grass stains and mud!) gives my daughter and I a togetherness in nature which we’d never swap. Summer is so much more when you embrace the world beyond the front garden and 30 Days Wild sets the stage for that.”
30 Days Wild encourages individuals, families, schools, and businesses to connect with nature on a daily basis during what many argue is the best month for wildlife spotting. This year’s participants will receive a special 10th anniversary pack, targeted to their specific needs and designed to make their 30 days even more fun.
To sign up to receive your free 30 Days Wild pack, please visit wildlifetrusts.org/30DaysWild.
