What helps to lift your mood when you’re feeling low? For me it’s a visit to my favourite nature reserve. I started visiting Folly Farm in 2019, long before I started working for Avon Wildlife Trust and the impact it had on my mental health has been immeasurable. Whenever I feel anxious, I know that a visit to a nature-rich environment will calm me down. 

And it’s definitely not just me. Research shows that spending time outdoors can reduce stress levels, increase resiliency and even decrease symptoms of PTSD and ADHD. That’s alongside physical benefits including reducing blood pressure and lower the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory problems. Spending time in nature is so beneficial that in some areas you can now be recommended outdoor activities as part of the NHS’ social prescribing initiative.

This all sounds wonderful, it paints a picture of happy people accessing green spaces and feeling the benefit, but unfortunately, it’s not that simple

Statistics published by Friends of the Earth state that 10 million people in England live without access to green space – that’s 1 in 5 of us. 

And access is not equal, 40% of people with black and ethnic minority backgrounds live in areas with extremely limited access to green spaces, compared with 14% of white people. There’s also disparity in age demographics, with younger people being more likely to live in areas without access to green space and children growing up in more deprived areas are 20% less likely to spend time outdoors. 

Although it’s a complex topic, with lots of factors effecting whether people can access green spaces, the answer is simple: We need to improve access to nature. 

One of Avon Wildlife Trust’s key goals is to connect people to the environment so that they can help us to protect it. We recently acquired Ebdon Farm in North Somerset. We chose Ebdon Farm because of it’s potential to help nature recover and its proximity to the people of Worle and Weston-Super-Mare. Starting a nature reserve from scratch will allow us to consider accessibility in everything we do, from paths to signage to transport. We hope to create a space where everyone feels welcome.

Spending time in nature doesn’t just positively impact an individual’s health and wellbeing, it also has benefits for nature itself, by inspiring people to care and protect for the natural world. How can we expect people to care about something that they can’t see or experience? With wildlife in the UK facing more threats than ever before, we need to inspire more people to take action for nature. Hearing birdsong at a nature reserve might encourage someone to put up a bird box in their garden, creating a butterfly effect of positive actions.

My spontaneous visit to a nature reserve six years ago created a connection to the natural world that went on to influence my career path and gave me a safe space to visit when I feel low – everyone deserves that opportunity. 

Find out more about our Ebdon Farm project