A green woodpecker eating fruit in the snow. Picture: Margaret Holland
Sharing some of your Christmas leftovers with the birds this year could make a real difference for local wildlife.
That is the message from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), which is asking people to join its FREE 12 Days Wild challenge.
The charity wants people to do one 'wild' act each day for the 12 days of Christmas to connect with nature at the coldest time of year.
Recycling Christmas cards, creating nature-themed crafts and going for a walk in the park are among other suggested ways people can take part.
Liz Shearer, Community Engagement Director for BBOWT, said:
"Cold roast potatoes are a fantastic thing to give to birds at this time of year because they've got natural carbohydrates with a bit of extra fat which is great in the cold. You can also leave out Christmas pudding, fruit cake and mince pies which all have useful sugars and fats, and a little bit of mild low-salt cheese is good too!
"Doing things like leaving out leftovers is a really simple way to help local birds and mammals, and also helps us feel like we have a real connection to wildlife, especially at this time of year. Feeling more connected to wildlife is also the first step in taking action to help it, so who knows – taking part in 12 Days Wild could set you off on a new wild journey in 2024."
Zsuzsanna Bird
The 12 Days Wild challenge runs from 25 December to 5 January. Anyone who signs up online will receive daily inspirational emails with fun activity ideas.
Doing 'wild' things to connect with nature can also help us feel happier and healthier, as the Wildlife Trust's summer challenge, 30 Days Wild, has shown. Whether you take a walk in the park, watch starling murmurations or create some natural art, this shorter winter challenge could offer real wellbeing benefits.
Signing up is also a chance to give something back to nature by making some small changes. You could:
· Do some detective work and spot animal tracks in the mud or snow
· Get crafty using natural materials and create some wild art
· Go wild in town or country and visit a nature reserve · Beat the January blues by listening to our Wild about Wellbeing podcast
· Make a New Year’s resolution for nature to go plastic-free, cycle to work or volunteer
Or simply get out there and enjoy a walk on the wild side.
Sign up online at wildlifetrusts.org/12dayswild for free guides, activities, and inspiration. Share photos and videos of your nature inspired moments on social media using #12DaysWild and please tag @BBOWT in your pictures.
30 Days Wild – Five-Year Review: The Wildlife Trusts’ 12 Days Wild is similar to our annual 30 Days Wild which is held each summer and has been shown to make us feel happier and healthier. The University of Derby has been analysing data from 30 Days Wild to measure the impact of the challenge on participants. Building on three peer-reviewed papers, they evaluated survey responses from more than 1,000 people over five years and discovered the enduring effects on wellbeing from participation in 30 Days Wild – the positive effects are still felt two months after the challenge is over.
Key findings:
· 30 Days Wild boosted the health of participants by an average of 30%.
· 30 Days Wild made people, particularly those who started with a relatively weak connection to nature, significantly happier
· 30 Days Wild resulted in very significant increases in nature connectedness for those who began with a weak connection to nature – their nature connectedness rose by 56%
· 30 Days Wild inspired significant increases in pro-nature behaviour
· Increases in people’s health and happiness were still felt two months after the challenge was over.
