I'm still catching up on The Wildlife Trusts' 30 Days Wild. Got the bird feeder up at last and am trying to be patient - while eyeing up a spot in the front garden for another.
#8 Protect Our Sea
Oh gosh, everything is so important. Bees, insects, trees, mental health, a thousand other things, and our oceans. I think it's good to have days like World Ocean Day. Taking care of our environment and our neighbours needs to be a daily responsibility - chore, habit, duty, pick one - but it's also good to take a day and remember why.
The oceans absorb and store more carbon than trees or grass and are precious ecosystems that, if nothing else, we need to protect in order to keep ourselves alive.
Image by Creature Candy, used with permission
Education is one of the keys to saving our oceans and our world. I've just come across the Scottish Seabird Centre, a charity dedicated to inspiring people to care for wildlife and the natural environment. Alas, it was through a Crowdfunder being run by Creature Candy. Like so, so many, they too are struggling right now.
It was all too easy to buy the £15 limited edition puffin print - above - £5 of which goes to the Scottish Seabird Centre. I adore the artwork and the bird. I may also have lined up a bit of a wishlist of items from Creature Candy - they sell beautiful stationary, soaps, and homewares, and donate 10% of all profits to associated wildlife charities, as well as using their art to raise awareness of threatened species in the UK. It's so gorgeous and such a good idea.
Links:
#9 Pledge a patch to butterflies
Some butterflies need grass, not flowers, I learned only this year. We've let a lot of our garden grass go to seed as it was easier than maintaining the whole lot, and now there are butterflies all over it. So I'm pledging the top of our long, narrow, steep garden as a dedicated wild area - with a couple of paths winding through for exploring. I'll be saving and adding any butterfly - and bee - friendly flowers and seeds I find. One tip from Nick Baker on his morning chats was to visit a garden centre once a month to see what was flowering - and what had the most insects attracted to it - and buy those for a continuously flowering, bug friendly garden!
I'll point again to the British Wildflower Meadow Seeds website for locally sourced seeds that are even sold by area. Not all seeds, including wildflower seeds, come from the UK, and not all are suited to your patch. This is a great way to ensure both!
#10 Feel the grass between your toes
As often as I can.
This post was not sponsored in any way.
