What’s your top tip for discovering nature in your local area?

Earlier this month over 400 hundred young Girlguiding members and volunteers took part in a wild weekend of activities to learn more about the nature on their doorstep and how they can protect it. The trip was part of the RSPB’s ongoing partnership with Girlguiding London and South East England Region, which aims to connect more young girls to the natural world and the wellbeing benefits it brings. In this blog Heather, Ella, Yzabelle and Charlotte share some of their highlights and top tips for discovering nature in your local area.

Find your closest park or green space
“To find nature in your local area, try your local park. I went to Golders Hill Park where there were lots of trees, it was quiet and calm and I could hear the birds chirping. My favourite activity was to draw how the area made me feel, so drawing or taking photo’s can help you get closer to nature. It was an amazing experience and I would love to go back again!” Heather (aged 11)

Take a moment to really notice nature
“At the start of our trip, we took a moment to listen in silence to the sounds of nature. It was very interesting, as we heard so many types of animals and nature. Then we concentrated on the sounds and turned what we heard into drawings as we interpreted them. It was a new experience to draw what you hear and I fully enjoyed this experience.

One further task was a blindfold test. We broke into pairs and one person was blindfolded and the other led their partner to a tree. That person had to touch the tree and guess the type of tree that she was touching. It was very good fun, each tree was unique.” Ella (aged 11)

 Ditch the car
“A top tip for discovering nature in my local area is instead of driving/taking your car to a specific place, try taking a more eco-friendly approach such as walking or biking. This way, you will be able to connect with the nature more and you will experience the benefits that come with it.

From the RSPB trip, I have learned that if you just stop, to look and listen every once in a while you may find that the nature around you is beautiful and worth paying attention to.” Yzabelle (aged 11)

Get identifying
“By just walking round and looking at the various types of trees and learning about what different ones are in the area I learned about things that I never knew before. I think everyone should take more time to visit and explore all their local parks and green spaces, as there is a lot to see and enjoy in local nature.” Charlotte (aged 10)

What’s your top tip for discovering nature in your local area? Let us know in the comments below!

Find out more about the RSPB’s partnership with Girlguiding. If you know a young person who is keen to help save nature why not find your local RSPB Youth Group or register a child with Girlguiding. Alternatively find out more about volunteering with Girlguiding or the RSPB.

 Heather, Ella, Yzabelle and Charlotte attended the The RSPB and Girlguiding London and South East England Region wild weekend at Golders Hill Park in partnership with the City of London Corporation. Funding for the events was provided by the Kusuma Trust.

Image credits: Natasha Radjabi