Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust: Take your 'me time' surrounded by nature

As someone who is passionate about the natural world and lucky enough to work in the wildlife conservation sector, you might well assume that I have no trouble getting a regular wildlife ‘fix’, writes Erin McDaid of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

However, like many of us I find that life often gets in the way, meaning I struggle to make time for the things I love and which nourish my soul.

Thankfully most of us are much more aware of the need to take time out of our busy lives for a bit of ‘me time’. This isn’t about being selfish, it’s anything but, as it helps ensure we’re in the best frame of mind to cope with what life has to throw at us and to support those around us.

On a personal level, spending time in nature isn’t about setting out to see a particular species or to tick off a list of stellar wild experiences; my pleasure mainly comes from simply being aware of the natural world — noticing the bird song, taking time to watch the robin picking through the vegetable bed I’ve just weeded at the allotment or taking in a magnificent sunset.

With a garden, an allotment, a job that means I get to visit nature reserves quite often and hobbies including kayaking and hillwalking, I regularly get to experience these fleeting moments of wildness, but I am often acutely aware that I need more than a transitory connection — of the need to make more of a conscious effort to slow down, sit quietly and absorb the natural world around me.

While balancing all the pressures of our busy, complicated, fast-paced and demanding lifestyles it can be a challenge to take this time out and we sometimes need a nudge to carve it out.

This is one of the reasons I am genuinely passionate about The Wildlife Trusts’ 30 Days Wild Challenge, where we ask people to do something connected with nature every day during the month of June.

When the concept was first mooted by colleagues from our UK team prior to its launch in 2015, I loved the concept but was sceptical about whether people would commit to the whole month or have the stamina to do something every day.

In hindsight, I was looking at it all wrong — seeing it as a commitment or a nature-based job list.

What I hadn’t fully appreciated was just how good taking part would make people, myself included, feel.

Subsequent research conducted for us by the University of Derby has proved this point conclusively and I’m convinced this is why so many people take part each year.

30 Days Wild just makes people feel better.

For me, it provides an annual opportunity to reset, reconnect with nature and to remind myself not to take wildlife and the natural world for granted.

With June now just around the corner I’m already mulling over what favourite spots I might visit or what wildlife I might seek out and there still time to sign up for your special 30 Days Wild pack — full to the brim of ideas and inspiration to help you have a wild, wonderful and fun month.

As a final thought I would point to the fact that for many of us, connecting with nature was a major coping strategy and one of the few positives of our shared experience of the coronavirus pandemic.

Many of us recognised just how important nature was to us and to our health and well-being, and I’m sure many swore that they would continue to find time in future to connect.

Two years on, I’m sure I’m not the only one steadily sliding back towards a ‘normal’ that I hoped I wouldn’t return to — with too little time for connecting with nature.

That’s why I’ll be using 30 Days Wild as the perfect excuse to put myself back on the right track.

Get set for a wild June.

It looks like we’re all set for a record-breaking year and there is still time to sign up and take part.

You’ll receive a special pack full of ideas and inspiration — with tailored packs for families, schools and businesses.