30 Days Wild – Day 1 to 5 – for diverse communities

This month is 30 Days Wild 2016, an initiative of The Wildlife Trusts who say “This June, can you do something wild each day for a month?”

What they are saying is that nature is everywhere, so by looking for it through your normal day, you should start to notice it and enjoy it more.

They say that they don’t want you to give anything up for June, just give yourself time in the wild with your family, to reconnect with nature. 26,000 people have already signed up, but it would be great if you signed up to taking part at http://bit.ly/1WZnYKW.

So, for my 30 Days Wild, I have decided to connect with nature each day in a different way, that could feel relevant to Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities or People of Colour (POC) in the USA and be practical if you live in an inner city area. Things that BAME people can identify with and so might find it easier to try.  Not just young people, but BAME people of all ages.

For day one, I thought I would start easy.  I went to my garden and felt grass under the soles of my feet and between my toes. I moved around a bit whilst I was doing it to feel the air.

I know most people living in the inner city don’t have gardens, so pop into a park or green space during your normal day, find a clean and safe area, kick off your shoes and spend five minutes feeling nature.

Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

For day two, I just looked up at the sky, to watch the clouds passing over and feel their beauty.  For those people who don’t have a garden and maybe live in flats, try going outside to just looking out of your window and watching from there.

Young Birder, Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

For day three, I smelt flowers in the garden, but if you don’t have a garden you could try this in a park or anywhere there are a few flowers, whether wild or not.  Take in the smell and really enjoy it. Remember how good this feels.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

For day four and five, I did a garden bio blitz http://bit.ly/2147FuF, trying to find and record as many species in your garden in 24 hours.

The aim is to look in your garden, trying to find as many different species as possible, recording what you can identify.

If you live in the inner city without a garden, why don’t you leave on an outside light and go and have a look at the moths drawn to it? Notice the different ones in the light.

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig