Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is encouraging people in Stone to share their own personal stories about what nature means to them in a new campaign called My Wild Life.
The campaign encourages people to stop for a minute to reflect on what wildlife means to us and think about how to make wildlife part of our everyday lives. The Trust says those people lucky enough to live near and experience green spaces have a 50% chance of being more healthy – both physically and mentally – and are 40% less likely to become overweight or obese.
Sir David Attenborough has travelled the world in search of wildlife but in London where he lives he can watch stag beetles flying in his garden and marvel at ancient trees in London’s parks. Sir David, the national Wildlife Trusts’ President Emeritus, says: “Contact with nature should not be the preserve of the privileged. It is critical to the personal development of our children.”
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is encouraging people from all walks of life to share their own personal stories about what nature means to them. Sir David Attenborough is one of hundreds of people taking part so far, alongside students, nurses, families, volunteers, teachers and many others from across the UK. His, and other stories, can be found at www.mywildlife.org.uk, where people can add their own story and discover wild places near to them.
Sir David continues “People turn to nature in moments of joy and in moments of sadness. We are part of the natural world: we depend on it for the air we breathe and the food we eat. The Wildlife Trusts are helping people to understand their role in the natural world and their dependency on it. This is essential if we are going to speed nature’s recovery.”
As well as providing thousands of opportunities for people across the UK to make nature part of their everyday lives, The Wildlife Trusts are calling for a Nature and Wellbeing Act in England to put nature at the heart of decisions about how our country is run, including health, housing and other development, education, economic growth, and flood resilience. The proposals have been put forward by The Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB, supported by a partnership of 20 organisations.
Everyone can share their stories of the wildlife and wild places which matter to them and why, using #MyWildLife on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Find inspiration – explore stories about people and nature at mywildlife.org.uk
Share your wild life – share your ‘Wild Life’ and what nature means to you. Upload your story at mywildlife.org.uk or use #MyWildLife
Wild is better, pass it on – read and share the ‘10 Reasons Why Wild Is Better’ infographic at mywildlife.org.uk
Make nature part of your life – see lots of ideas for putting the wild back in your life mywildlife.org.uk
Ask for change – send a message to your MP asking them to and call for a Nature and Wellbeing Act in their party’s election manifesto
