Anja Murray: Nature-based resolutions for a happy 2024
In The Following Bustle Of The Be Heart The Of Garden Winter, Birds In Can Mesmerising
This new year, like every other, we can feel the pressure to take on New Year’s resolutions. Too often, we approach resolutions with a sense of deprivation — though lots of resolutions can be joyous, such as introducing new habits that will enhance our own wellbeing while also helping us to forge a more positive relationship with our natural environment. Framing new habits positively is one way of making them more appealing, and more likely to stick.
Nature has been shown to help manage anxiety in many studies, here simply rating the joy garden birds bring led to a greater decrease in anxiety than counting birds #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek https://t.co/Hqdn0zLUHU pic.twitter.com/UTBf11euvI
— Miles Richardson (@findingnature) May 16, 2023
Each week, add the name and a description of one tree species, one wildflower, one insect (such as a bee or a butterfly) and one wild bird. Make a note of the notable or endearing characteristics — perhaps the stunning feathered crest on a waxwing’s head or the delicate fern-like leaves of the wildflower ‘herb Robert’. Make a note also of where you saw this thing, what kind of habitat it seems to like, what the shape or colours remind you of, and what its official name is. By doing this each week, you’ll be amazed at how many new species you will know by the time summer rolls around, and can delight in your newfound fluency with the natural world.
Ireland is one of the best places in the world to go whale watching, which you can do from a coastal headland or as part of a boat trip with a tour operator who specialises in whale and dolphin watching. Make sure to chose a knowledgeable tour operator who follows the voluntary code of conduct to safeguard protected marine mammals. Dedicated whale watching trips depart from Reen Pier, near Union Hall and from Baltimore in west Cork. You might even like to delve deeper and join the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (iwdg.ie) on a whale-watching course in West Cork for a fun weekend with a difference.
Spending a few days in Ireland’s stunning national parks such as Killarney National Park, the Burren National Park, Connemara National Park, Wild Nephin National Park in Mayo and Glenveagh National Park in County Donegal is always a worthwhile treat. While there, arrange to go on a wildlife walking tour with an expert guide who can add insight to your experience of the landscape and learn about local habitats at the same time.
There are several registered Irish wildlife and environmental charities that do brilliant work standing up for nature, including the Irish Wildlife Trust, BirdWatch Ireland, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, and An Taisce — the National Trust for Ireland. They need your support. With some, you will receive a quarterly membership magazine by post, others send out regular e-zines. Most also organise nature-based events around the country so that you can have the benefit of expert guidance on outdoor excursions to some of the most valuable Irish habitats. By being a member of an environmental NGO, you are also helping to support crucial conservation projects as well as adding your voice to their advocacy and campaigning work.
Depending on where you live or work, it might be a favourite stretch of lakeshore, a patch of native woodland, a rocky heath, a riverside walk, or a piece of forgotten waste ground that nature has reclaimed. The more you visit, the more comfortable you will begin to feel there. As you become familiar with the plants and animals who live there, observe how they change through the seasons and how they interact with each other. Sit quietly and listen too, there is lots to learn through sound alone.
Learn how to prepare a few new delicious plant-based meals and enjoy the health benefits of eating less meat, as well as the feel-good factor of knowing that you are helping to reduce your own ecological and climate footprint. In Ireland, the agricultural sector was directly responsible for 38% of national Greenhouse Gas emissions in 2022, comprised of methane emissions from livestock, nitrous oxide from nitrogen fertilisers and manure management. Intensification of agriculture in Ireland and across the globe is also driving the biodiversity crisis through deforestation, water pollution, and habitat loss. As a response, you can enjoy preparing meals that involve less meat, incorporate more vegetables, and choose local, organic producers wherever possible in order to support local vegetable growers.
In the heart of winter, following the bustle of birds at a busy garden feeder can be mesmerising. Research is emerging that suggests feeding birds can negatively impact on the population dynamics of wild bird populations, favouring more common species over other, less adaptable species, so this New Year, plan to enhance the availability of native bushes and trees in your garden that will in turn provide insect and other food for will birds, rather than relying on feeders to attract birds. Also be aware that busy feeders can be hotbeds for the spread of disease, so remember to clean your bird feeders regularly.
Encouraging birds in the garden, listening to them sing and watching their antics as they flit about is a gorgeous way to connect with our wild, feathered friends; its widely accessible activity; and a kind of ‘gateway drug’ to engaging with nature in a wider sense. Also, watching birds is good for you! Academic studies have shown that shows that watching birds improves wellbeing, decreases anxiety, and gives a stronger connection to nature, especially when we pay attention to the positive emotions experienced while watching.
Spending time in nature is more than just a matter of the feel-good factor. A whole body of research shows that there is a positive correlation between the amount of time one spends in nature and positive environmental behaviours. Taking on some of these nature- related resolutions will not only help your overall wellbeing, but will likely result in better environmental behaviours, without feeling deprived ourselves.
Happy New Year!