Making a difference with a Year of Green Action
I love this time of year!
If you choose to ignore the dramatic drop in temperature and heavy downpours of the past couple of days, it can be confidently claimed that spring has well and truly sprung and it almost (yes, almost) feels like summer is on the horizon.
Trees and hedgerows with their fresh, verdant leaves, conceal young birds in their nests, desperately pleading with already-weary parents to bring them anything to satisfy their incessant hunger – a worm, a caterpillar – anything that gives them much-needed energy to grow.
Brightly-coloured flowers lure in a multitude of bees, hoverflies and butterflies, who compete for airspace in close proximity to a plentiful supply of tempting nectars and pollens.
Peacock butterfly
There is literally a buzz in the air and it is at this time of year I feel especially connected to the natural world around me.
One of my favourite experiences is welcoming the swallows and martins back to the UK after their perilous journeys back home from a winter spent in Africa. It is awe-inspiring to watch them effortlessly whizzing across the sky, twisting and turning, ducking and diving after tasty insects or to form bonds with a potential partner. To hear them chirpily chatting away to each other while they do this is, quite simply, a joy.
Swallow
And with almost perfect timing, a swift – my first of the year – has just flown past my window. Brilliant. Welcome home!
A Year of Green Action
If you too love nature, want to get out more, to learn about our wonderful wildlife, to see inspirational things and really connect with the natural world around you, or want to know where you can go, or what you can do to help nature, then you will be pleased to note that 2019 is The Year of Green Action!
This is a whole year of connecting people with nature and highlighting how everyone can take action to help to protect and enhance our environment. It’s all about trying to do something to make things better for our natural world, no matter how big or small.
Opportunities to get involved…
Over the coming weeks, I will be providing some hints and tips as to what sort of things we can do to get involved, learn more about wildlife and how we might all take action to make a difference.
There will be information highlighting lots of opportunities to get out and enjoy our local greenspaces – from guided walks, to talks, to events and opportunities to contribute to protecting and enhancing our environment – volunteering days, bioblitzes and citizen science projects.
So watch this space… And, of course, the skies for our returning swifts!
The weather looks pretty good for the week ahead, so how about exploring one of the lovely places in ‘Greenspace on your doorstep’ and if you take any photos, please let us know on Facebook.
Enjoy!
Michael
Education & Engagement Officer