By Laura Pratt.
I want you to imagine yourself walking next to a small river. This gently flowing stream is in the middle of an ancient woodland, full of towering oaks and bushy hazel. The wood completely envelops you and sounds of the world beyond can’t reach you here. A robin starts up a merry whistle and a blackbird then echoes its song in lower, mellower tones. Suddenly there is a burst of song, surprisingly loud, unmistakably a wren. As you walk on, you take a breath of the fresh, earthy smelling air; you feel the touch of a gentle breeze on your face; and see the leaves dancing around you, throwing a multitude of shadows onto the woodland floor. A gentle hum of foraging insects is all around and every so often a beautiful butterfly flutters by.
A path in my local woodland.
How does this scene make you feel? I don’t know about you, but for me, a wave of calm washes over me just imaging this scenario. When I am actually there, I am completely captivated by the sights, sounds, and smells of nature all around me, and any other worries and concerns seem to melt away.
For me, this has been especially important during the months of lockdown and uncertainty this year. I have always loved photography and, with more time on my hands than usual, I have really enjoyed getting out into my local patch with my camera to explore this area more than ever before. It is such a mindful activity; all I am focusing on is what I see around me, and it has led to me falling in love with British wildlife all over again. From frequently stumbling across deer in the woodland and seeing clouds of butterflies decorating the summer days, to catching sight of fox cubs in the middle of their first hunt and chancing upon fledging wrens taking their first brave adventures away from the nest, it has been truly magical.
Roe deer in the crops.
Peacock butterfly.
I have also found investing time in the garden incredibly therapeutic. I have put up camera traps and captured the night-time wanderings of our resident hedgehogs, made a pond-in-a-pot which has flourished over the last few months, and spent many an hour watching the birds foraging amongst the trees. I have had a chance to look more closely at the comings and goings of the wildlife using our garden and it has been an utter delight.
My mini pond with a lily in flower.
A coal tit foraging in my back garden.
The benefits I have noticed are by no means unique to me, many other people experience them too. The reasons behind the benefits of nature are not fully understood currently because they are so complex, however, there is a lot we do know already.
Fledgling wren in my local woodland.
Chalk hill blue butterfly.
Hoverfly.
The benefits experienced by people range from improved physical fitness and reduced feelings of stress and anxiety, to enhanced creativity and connections with other people. Time spent in nature also helps you to be more ‘in the moment’ or ‘mindful’. Instead of worrying about things past and future, you focus on the here and now. There is so much to see and discover out in nature that will fully captivate you and will not fail to keep you in the present. This in turn has been shown to improve your wellbeing and lead to feelings of relaxation.
If this isn’t part of your daily routine currently, I would highly recommend it, especially if you are experiencing stress and anxiety at the moment (although, if you are worried about your mental health, please do seek medical advice in case you need further support). Even a short time out in nature has been shown to have amazing benefits. If you’re not sure, why not give it a go? You’ve got nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain.
Clouded yellow butterfly.
Muntjac deer.
Charities I would recommend and why
If you want more detailed information about how nature benefits mental health, or mental health information in general, do check out the charities Mind and the Mental Health Foundation, they have some great, free resources.
My favourite nature charities. Gosh! It is so hard to choose so I will cheat and mention all my favourites. I support The Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, Bat Conservation Trust, and Butterfly Conservation. Why do I support them? They all do incredible conservation work for starters, and on top of that they have some brilliant education resources on their websites to help you learn more about a whole range of habitats and species, including helping you to identify critters you are unsure about. I would recommend checking them out.
Follow Laura on Instagram: @lauramariewildlife.
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