Wednesday, 31 December 2014

Alternative Resolutions for a Brand New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! Do you bother making resolutions? I say eat as many chocolate biscuits as you like and embrace one (or more!) of these New Year resolutions instead!

Get out more
Being outdoors is a good way to de-stress and keep healthy too. But life can be hectic and sometimes it’s difficult to find time to do things. Why not commit to having an “outdoor day” at least once a month or fortnight. The best way to start is by visiting a local nature reserve and even taking part in an organised activity. There are hundreds of reserves all over the UK – I bet there’s one not far from you! Check out local reserves here

Participate in citizen science
Completing a wildlife survey provides really useful information to scientists. Records from all over the UK can help us to understand the decline or spread of species. And there are loads to choose from! There’s the Big Butterfly Count, the Big Garden Bird Watch, National Hedgehog Survey and more. Why not try to take part in at least one during 2015

Feed the birds 365 days
How many days of the year can you remember to feed the birds!? It’s easy to forget, but garden birds start to rely on the food we provide - especially on cold days. Challenge yourself to feeding the birds 365 days of the year and see how many you manage!

Don’t forget your camera!
Countless photo opportunities have been missed by not having my camera with me. I’m certainly going to remember to take mine everywhere I go in 2015!

Start a new hobby
The new year is a great time to start something new. Pick something that will get you outdoors such as a walking group. Alternatively you could learn something new which will complement your wildlife interests such as SLR photography, sketching or painting.

Join a local group
It’s likely that there is already a local bird or wildlife watching group in your area, although sometimes they take a bit of researching to find! If there isn’t one – why not consider starting one yourself! 

Become a species champion
Pick a British species to support and learn as much as you can about it throughout the year. Make a trip to go and see it in the wild and possibly even do some relevant volunteer/charity work. Learn about the threats facing the species and its environment and spread the word amongst your friends and family. Why not chose a lesser known species which doesn’t receive as much attention as the more iconic/cute animals do.

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