Over the past ten years, 30 Days Wild has become synonymous with June and last year saw over half a million people sign-up nationwide to immerse themselves in a fleeting or prolonged date with nature every day of the month. It is hoped that even more people will take part this year with individuals and families, schools, businesses and care homes being encouraged to sign-up for specific participation packs.

30 Days Wild is a challenge to help people to get outside, enjoy and connect with nature as part of their everyday lives and that has many benefits. Against a challenging backdrop for nature and mental health, the perks of taking part in the month-long event are two-fold – participation has shown that the challenge will help you and help nature. Good, hey? But don’t just take our word for it, a scientific study found a significant increase in people's health, happiness, and connection to nature through participating in 30 Days Wild. People reported feeling more relaxed, reduced stress levels, and a greater motivation to protect wildlife which lasted long after the campaign ended. So, you can see that getting involved really is a no brainer!

To mark the 10^th Anniversary of 30 Days Wild and, as the Trust celebrates its 60^th Anniversary, we would like to encourage even more individuals, businesses, and schools to sign-up and take part in 30 Days Wild in 2024 and we’ve got some fabulous free packs, tailored to your requirements, which you’ll receive to set you on your way.

But that’s enough from us, here are the motivational stories of an individual, and a business who took part last year, plus, we share how local schools have been taking action for wildlife and nature. Could these inspire you, your business or your school to go 30 Days Wild? Read on and let’s see!

Meet an individual who has taken part in 30 Days Wild

St Albans resident, Lee Wood and his daughter changed the outcome of their summer by taking part in the nature challenge last year. Lee says:

“There was a time when thinking about a summer evening, my memories were of the smell of a barbecue and the distant hum of a lawnmower somewhere down the road. 

“30 Days Wild and the joy it has brought to my daughter and I now means that summer is now chasing butterflies, the sparkle of sunshine on the river, the smell of ripening berries and the taste of the ones not quite ready. We can recognise the sound of Swifts, the rustle through the trees of the warm breeze and following the sound of a Honey Bee.  

“We’ve always loved being outside, but the challenge of finding new things to do, new stories to tell on our return home (complete with grass stains and mud!) gives my daughter and I a togetherness in nature which we’d never swap. Summer is so much more when you embrace the world beyond the front garden. 30 Days Wild and beyond - we’re already making plans for 2024!”

Meet a business who has taken part in 30 Days Wild

Not only did MPI Ltd, participate in 30 Days Wild, but also the Hertford-based recruitment agency and Trust Business Member managed to raise £280 for the Trust in the process, by organising a fantastic Wildlife Photo Competition. Lydia Partington, Marketing Manager at MPI Ltd, tells us more:

“Throughout June, MPI Limited organised a wildlife competition for our staff, with a promise to donate £5 to the Trust for every entry. A total of 28 entries were received and included insects, wild flowers and beautiful landscapes. Voting was then run on all social platforms for one week, with a promise to double the donation if 300 votes were met – a target that was met with days to spare!

“We chose to take part in 30 Days Wild for several compelling reasons, but ultimately we felt this campaign really reflects our belief in the power of collective action to make a positive impact on the environment and inspire individuals to become advocates for wildlife conservation. We look forward to more opportunities to promote these values with the Trust, in the future, in other innovative ways.”

Seek inspiration from local schools who are connecting with nature

This spring, the Trust launched its new Wilder Schools Programme, recognising the potential of over 600 schools across the region to provide connected wildlife corridors and safe habitats across our landscapes, whilst nurturing young people’s connection to nature and their ability to learn outside of the classroom. We hope some of those 600+ schools will enjoy taking part in 30 Days Wild and to inspire them, here are some joyful snippets from students and teachers at three schools, who are embracing the wilder side of life:

At Westfield Academy in Watford, students, Mia, James, Sophia, Sabahat, Sarah, Noah, Angel, Ocean, Shifa, Rafia, Prasna, Maria, Rushi, Summer and Ms Cooke wrote:

“Eco Club members are doing various activities to improve the environment around our school. This involved planting trees and spring bulbs, building our own vibrant bug hotel and litter picking around the site, picking up almost 5kg of rubbish! Another activity that we enjoyed was setting up camera traps and seeing the wildlife that live at our school.”

Hitchin Girls’ School students, Becky and Eleanor told us what their Eco Club have been up to:

“One exciting project we are working towards is making a pond. Also, we planted a vegetable patch containing lots of different species of plants like runner beans, tomatoes, courgettes, and potatoes. We are excited to continue this work and do more in the future."

Lucy Holt, a teacher at Cranborne Primary School in Potters Bar shared:

“We’ve had a donation of logs and stumps from our neighbour who had a few trees felled and a local gardening company who donated a wildflower meadow and four native trees. We also held another Big Dig community event. The children loved being involved. We’ve created a Wild Book Nook with donations of stumps from our neighbours.”

Join the likes of Lee and his daughter, Lydia and her colleagues at MPI Ltd, and the teachers and students at Westfield Academy, Hitchin Girls’ School and Cranborne Primary School in making a connection with the natural world and reaping the benefits. You can sign up for a 30 Days Wild pack here to suit you and your circumstances - choose from My home (perfect for individuals and families), My business, My school or My care home. As well as weekly themes, you will get activity suggestions for each day, all of which will give you a more mindful approach to nature and all it’s glory.

Please do tell us how you intend to go 30 Days Wild – we would love to see your ideas and photos on Twitter/X @HMWTBadger and on Facebook and Instagram @hertswildlifetrust