All around Worcestershire there are open spaces, from our parks, playing-fields to village greens and ponds. In all these spaces there is opportunity for wildlife to thrive and for these spaces to be even better for nature and people.
There are already people and community groups doing great work in taking action for nature in these spaces by planting bulbs, planting pond plants or trees. Some groups are running bat walks for other local people, others are building bird boxes and bee homes for their local park. This is all fantastic and really does provide great benefits for wildlife.
It's not just the buff-tailed bumblebees and blue tits that benefit, though. There are brilliant benefits for people too...
- It can feed your body with exercise. Joining or starting a conservation group that's managing a local greenspace, you're bound to get some physical exercise, whether that's controlling scrubby growth in the winter or planting spring bulbs and sowing wildflower seeds along a verge.
- It can feed your mind with friendships and knowledge. Getting involved with others to take care of wildlife in your area is a great way to meet people like you who care about the planet and wildlife. They might be your neighbours or live a couple of streets away but, just like you, they want to make your local patch great for wildlife - and you can learn lots from each other. There are a lot of great groups and people out there doing amazing work looking for people just like you to get involved.
- Being out in nature or local green spaces has been shown to be good for your mental health. Research is regularly showing that being out in nature can evoke positive thoughts and lower stress levels. Just walking in nature can have a calming effect; imagine how much more positive you could feel if you get involved in helping it thrive too.
- Improving the way your local area looks can be a great outcome of people coming together to act for nature. By planting bulbs, shrubs and trees you can make areas seem more cared for and bring wonderful colours to your neighbourhood.
If you're keen to get involved but don't know how to, we've got details of some of the groups that are helping wildlife across the county. Not all groups are listed so do get in touch with our communities team if you can't find what you're looking for. If you're part of a group that's helping wildlife but you're not listed on our map, please do use the form to get your group known about.
