Dorset Wildlife Trust is inviting people of all ages to connect with nature every single day during the month of June in 30 Days Wild, the UK’s biggest nature challenge. This year there’s a new twist: 30 Days Wild will take you on a week-by-week adventure moving through five different themes: tuning into the senses; movement and play; learning and discovery; helping nature; emotional connection to nature.
You might choose to tune into the sound of bird life in your garden or local greenspace, move through your local woods by moonlight, build a den, discover an unexplored country lane or local park, make time to build a bug hotel or owl box, or start a diary of your day-to-day wildlife sightings. If you’re stuck for ideas, the new 30 Days Wild activity pack includes inspiration for daily wild activities, as well as a wild bee poster and your own seeds.
Brian Bleese, Chief Executive of Dorset Wildlife Trust, says:
“Our 30 Days Wild challenge is one of the highlights of my year. It's a great excuse to get outside and enjoy everything that Dorset has to offer; wildflowers blooming at Kingcombe, butterflies fluttering at Higher Hyde Heath or watching the skylarks bouncing up and down at Upton Heath. I love challenging myself to set aside at least five minutes a day for thirty days in a row to connect with nature – and I hope that even more people will join us this year to listen to, watch, explore, celebrate, and enjoy what nature has to offer.”
Organised by The Wildlife Trusts, a national federation of 46 wildlife trusts across the UK including Dorset, over 500,000 people in the UK took part in the challenge last year including 114,245 households, 11,740 schools, 898 care homes and 1,384 businesses. Popular activities include wildlife-watching, eating outdoors, planting wildflower seeds and listening to birdsong. Other favourite pastimes included bug-hunting, fruit-picking, growing plants, and flowers, exploring a nature reserve, creating a mini pond, or going on a beach or river walk.
The Wildlife Trusts provide free resources for everyone who signs up. Register here.
30 Days Wild is funded thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery and has grown a huge and dedicated fan base – over three million people have taken part over the last nine years.
