There are more gardens than nature reserves in the UK and they provide crucial corridors, nesting areas and places to shelter for many of our much-loved creatures.

With their habitats destroyed and the pressures of the climate emergency increasing, even our once-widespread creatures such as the common frog or the garden bumblebee are declining.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We have a vision of a wilder Yorkshire through the creation of Nature Recovery Networks, where our towns, cities and countryside are connected and rich in wildlife. We can’t achieve our vision without you.

Your creature-counting really matters – it gives us important information about how many different creatures are making themselves at home and what we can do to protect them.

We all have a part to play in supporting nature on our doorsteps. Together, we can create a Yorkshire where wildlife is thriving and more people are connected to the natural world.

Kat Woolley, Inspiring People Manager and Forest School Leader tells us more on how we can all harness the power of ‘five ways to wellbeing’ whilst out in nature:

Connect with people while enjoying the nature around you. Meeting friends can be even more special with some wildlife spotting thrown in! You could also foster new friendships by joining some local outdoors groups.

Being out in nature helps us to be active. It’s easy to be more active in the great outdoors, especially if you can tackle rugged terrain. Challenge yourself to complete a long walk or a steep climb now and again – you’ll soon start to feel the benefits.

Ever wondered what a beautiful bloom is called or which bird is singing? Try and find out! Learning a new fact about nature can be a great way to boost your wellbeing.

Take notice of what is going on in nature. Spend time observing wildlife doing its thing. Sit quietly and see what happens. Take a sketchbook and capture what you see. Don’t forget the detail!

Give back time to help nature. You can do this by making space for wildlife at home – which can mean anything from feeding birds and hedgehogs to planting a container garden or creating a pond – or by volunteering with us. In a recent survey, 100% of our volunteers said that their volunteering has improved their mental health.