Together, we can do our bit, however small it may seem, to make a big difference for wildlife.
Here are just a few ideas to help you make your own resolutions for nature:
Within living memory, more than half of our wildlife has been lost*. With these staggering figures in mind, and as 2020 approaches, the coming decade is going to be crucial for the natural environment.
1. Start local...
The support our members give us is invaluable – without our members, we could not do the good work for Suffolk’s wildlife that we do. If you’re already a member, thank you!
Please do encourage your friends and family to join us, too. Every member really does make a difference.
2. Stop using weed-killers and pesticides at home.
Insects are dying out up to 8 times faster than larger animals and 41% of insect species face extinction. This impacts us as well as all wildlife. Insects pollinate three quarters of our food crops, as well as being the main food source for many birds, small mammals and fish. You can help stop this decline.
3. Cut down on waste.
Being mindful about avoiding single-use plastic where you can, saving water, energy, food waste and cutting down on your consumption is easy to do and although you might not feel that you’re doing much, imagine if every single person did the same – that's a lot of waste that we’ve saved together.
4. Chill out on the weeding and mowing.
Let your garden go wild, or at least part of it anyway. Yes, this is the best excuse ever not to mow the lawn. Leaving areas in your garden to go wild, not cutting down dead stems and leaving piles of wood and leaves lying around creates perfect habitats for all manner of creatures. A small pond is a hugely important addition too, if you have space for one. Growing your own herbs and vegetables also cuts down on packaging and food miles and tastes amazing, too! You can find out more about wild gardening here.
5. Get outside more.
All Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserves are free to visit, so you can keep fit, enjoy nature, relax in the fresh air and let nature inspire you. Many studies have concluded that being close to nature is beneficial for mental health, so you can keep your body and your mind healthy at the same time. Bend, stretch, run wild, be free – we're not designed to be hunched over a computer all day. Find your nearest Suffolk Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve.
6. Do something amazing for wildlife – volunteer with us.
Learn more about nature, meet new people and help us make Suffolk a brilliant place for people and wildlife. Many of our reserves run regular work parties where you can get hands-on experience in managing habitats for wildlife and for those looking for something a little less physically strenuous, there are many administrative tasks that are vitally important to the running of our Trust. Find out more about volunteering opportunities here.
7. Speak up for wildlife and let your voice be heard.
Sign petitions, hold leaders to account, get involved in community projects and support things that you care about. You can make a difference, even if sometimes we feel powerless to make changes, together we can cut through the noise and do the right thing for wildlife and our shared environment.
So, do what you can, when you can. Every step we can take to support our wildlife is a positive one. Let's hope we all have a really wild 2020 and make the coming decade the one where we turn things around for wildlife. Cheers!
*In 2018, the World Wildlife Fund and Zoological Society of London’s Living Planet Report estimated that the total population of the world’s wild vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds) fell by 60% between 1970 and 2014.