Wildlife Trusts’ 30 Days Wild challenge increases happiness, study shows

The Wildlife Trusts are again running their annual nature challenge 30 Days Wild, with third-party research showing a link between the challenge and happiness levels in participants. The Wildlife Trusts' challenge encourages people to do something wild every day for the month of June and notice the nature on their doorsteps. It saw 250,000 people take part in 2017. Since 2015, academics at the University of Derby have monitored the challenge with results showing that spending time in nature increases happiness and wellbeing. The University’s study of 30 Days Wild 2017 saw 8442 people participate in an evaluation looking at engagement with natural beauty (EWNB), and nature connection, health, happiness and conservation behaviours before the challenge started, after 30 days and after three months. It found sustained and significant increases for scores in nature connection, health, happiness and conservation behaviours. In addition, it found 30 Days Wild to increase EWNB, with links between this increase and the reported increases in nature connectedness and happiness. Dr Miles Richardson, Director of Psychology, University of Derby said: “Over the past three years we’ve repeatedly found that taking part in 30 Days Wild improves health, happiness, nature connection and conservation behaviours. Now we’ve discovered that engagement with the beauty of nature is part of that story. “Tuning in to the everyday beauty of nature becomes part of a journey which connects us more deeply to the natural world. As people’s appreciation of natural beauty increases, so does their happiness. We respond to beauty - it restores us and balances our emotions. This, in turn, encourages people to do more to help wildlife and take action for nature.” The latest set of results from the study of 30 Days Wild also shows that the benefits of the challenge last well after the month has ended, with indications that the beneficial impact of taking part could last as long as a year. People can now sign up to take part in 2018’s 30 Days Wild. Free packs will be sent to the first 50,000 people who sign up and there is also a digital pack available as well as a phone app that will deliver daily ideas and Random Acts of Wildness. Main image copyright: Nick Upton, for The Wildlife Trusts.

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