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New year news

sarahburgess5

Updated: Jan 24

Like the green shoots of bulbs pushing up last year's leaf litter, there are lots of new ideas percolating in the nature connection world which I thought might be of interest. I'm writing this as Storm Éowyn heads in our direction. After a few glorious days of blue skies - at least in part - when I've been able to get out and record some more walks for Go Jauntly, it seems like there is some indoor weather coming up. So today's post is full of suggestions for things help you keep connecting with nature even from inside. Firstly let me suggest a new year's resolution. How about walking more? Go Jauntly have something to help in the form of a couple of challenges. Think you can walk a million steps in 2025 or even cover 2025km this year? A million steps sounds impressive but is really achievable at under 3,000 steps a day. Sign up for the Million March or the Walk 2025 challenge on the app, but maybe start after the storm has ended!


For those of you working in the area of nature connection, you'll know about the nature connectedness network, set up by the University of Derby and Prof Miles Richardson. They have recently launched a website and are promoting membership of the network to individuals and organisations who work to support people's psychological connection with the rest of nature. Sign up for their bi-monthly newsletter which will include highlights from the latest nature connection research, practice, activities, and policy-related news from network members. Check it all out here. I find the first statistic on the front page of the website deeply disturbing even though it's one I have heard often: 62% of people rarely or never listen to bird song or take time to notice butterflies or bees. Let's try and improve that figure in 2025.


While we are talking about the University of Derby, the Nature Connectedness Research Group have just added to their collection of handbooks with the "Nature Connected Communities Handbook" - a guide to help communities build relationships between humans and the rest of nature, through noticing and engaging. It includes a workshop guide to help communities create or develop a nature connected community project; an urban safari nature noticing activity; nature connection seeds - a deck of cards to help stimulate project design and a collection of case studies of successful nature connected communities and their projects which are fascinating and to read, as well as inspirational.


Someone else who wants you to consider a resolution for 2025 is the World Wide Fund for Nature who are encouraging people to spend 20 minutes outdoors every day to improve mental wellbeing as part of their new nature prescription programme. Whilst being outside is obviously ideal they are also acknowledging that sometimes we need nature brought inside to us, with their collection of mindful nature films. They have free wellbeing packs available as well as downloadable resources to encourage schools and workplaces to think about how they can support people to spend time outdoors. We know that it's moments not minutes that is important when it comes to nature connection, so if you are taking the time to get outside, be sure to include some moments of pure nature connection - looking for snowdrops or daffodils ready to bloom, checking out any signs of emerging buds or catkins, even just taking a moment to stand still and listen to the birds who are getting more active by the day. Research also shows that writing down what you notice in nature can be good for you, so why not start a nature journal.

Nature writer turned app developer, Melissa Harrison has launched Encounter, a free guided nature connection journal for your phone. Backed by research from Miles Richardson, there are seasonal prompts, links to articles by delightful publications like Caught by the River, advice on identifying birdsong and hints as to what is in season to notice in your local area. Once you've signed up for an account you can take photos and make notes of what you've seen. The app also includes links to relevant nature based events, which brings me to...


This weekend (24th -26th January 2025) it's time for the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch. Participants are asked to commit an hour of their time to count the number of birds they see in their garden. There are guidelines for how to do this on the RSPB website and there is still time to sign up. My garden seems full of fat pigeons looking like portly parsons and excitable magpies who I feel the need to salute whenever I see them, just in case they bring me bad luck. Since I like to adapt my personal superstitions then I think I'm going to adopt the Sussex interpretation from this article instead. From now on, a single magpie on a roof stands for good luck. But I'll keep on saluting them just in case. The range of different superstitions relating to magpies listed in that article is fascinating and well worth a read, if you're into that sort of thing - or if you find yourself stuck indoors all day for some reason!!!


For Christmas I received a lovely book The Tree Almanac which is a seasonal guide to trees and woods. Reading January's entry I was intrigued by a complicated looking equation. It's the way to calculate your Tree Credit Score. Dr Gabriel Hemery the author suggests that everyone should plant one tree for every year they have been alive, and the equation shows whether you are in credit or not. I've always liked the saying "the best time to plant a tree is thirty years ago, the next best time is now" but whilst I'm a sucker for germinating conkers and acorns and growing very miniature versions of horse chestnuts and oaks, I'm pretty sure I'm not in credit. Time to check in on any tree planting events with the Clyde Climate Forest or to add some trees to my Trees for Life grove.


Stay safe whilst the storm passes, and maybe take a moment to be in awe of the power of nature.



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