Several staff members of Manx Wildlife Trust have formed a team for the Manx Telecom Parish Walk, Tough Mann and End2End. Studies show that spending time in nature provides numerous health benefits. We invite others to join us to experience these benefits yourself or support us as we take on these outdoors fitness challenges.
Time spent in nature improves personal wellbeing
Many of us know that it feels better to get out and about outdoors, watch wildlife, get involved with some volunteer work parties on nature reserves, or exercise our brain muscles working out what that plant or bee species actually is.
MWT spend a lot of time getting people active outside, learning a little or discovering more about Manx nature. That may be through our events, people visiting our nature reserves, or focused projects getting families and children active in our woodlands, like Ramsey Forest Eco-Active.
There are more and more reasons for us to be thinking about the difference that nature and wildlife make to our lives. One in particular, that you may not have realised, is that being in nature can actually improve your health and wellbeing, or quality of life.
You may be thinking, “I am pretty healthy already, I haven’t had been sick in ages.” Well, according to the World Health Organisation, health is actually more than just the lack of disease; rather it is “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing...”
Perhaps this is something you have heard of. Well, to iron out the facts, the University of Essex carried out a study for The Wildlife Trusts that shows clear evidence that contact with a wide range of natural environments that are rich in wildlife can provide numerous benefits for our health and wellbeing.
Some benefits are perhaps more obvious, like improved health from physical activity while you are outside in natural spaces. However, being in nature has further proven benefits, such as reducing stress and anxiety, views of nature can help accelerate recovery after surgery and reduce stress during a commute. Overall, you can’t go wrong spending time in natural environments, especially those rich in biodiversity.
To highlight the importance of nature in our health and wellbeing, MWT’s staff will be raising awareness while getting active with some challenges in the Manx landscape. We will be doing part of the Parish Walk, Tough Mann and End2End. We’ve made up a team and invite anyone to join us or support us through JustGiving.com. It is all about being healthy in a healthy natural environment.
Chief Executive Tim Graham says, “It’s amazing how natural spaces and wildlife can have a huge impact on our lives, even when they’re more or less unseen. Living in the Isle of Man, we are fortunate to have so many natural spaces to explore, and perhaps you are already noticing some of these benefits. It is our hope that, through their own experiences in nature, people and organisations can really get involved once they understand how it can make a difference.”
Nature is a special part of all our lives, help us keep it that way. All our lives are a better when they’re a bit wild.
Start your wildlife adventure today: Tweet your story using #MyWildLife, Share it with us on Facebook, or Support us on JustGiving.
Photo - Manx Wildlife Trust staff training for Outdoor Challenges. Copyright Tim Graham.
