January – time to put the Christmas decorations away for another 12 months and look to the start of a brand new year. This is the time when traditionally we make resolutions, so why not shake things up this year and make one for wildlife? Here are six suggestions of resolutions you could make that would benefit our wildlife, but may just benefit you too.

1. Visit a woodland
There is growing research to show the great benefits that being outside and surrounded by nature can bring to our wellbeing. Woodlands are in decline but fortunately, thanks to groups such as The Woodland Trust, there are areas being preserved that we can all enjoy. By going to spend time in these woodlands you give your support to these precious habitats.

2. Plant some bee friendly flowers
Bees and other pollinators are in decline so with the arrival of spring and summer, planting a few pollinator friendly flowers is a really beneficial thing to do. Plus you will get to enjoy the colour and scent in your garden – it’s win-win! To attract bees, try cosmos, cornflower, alliums, geum or hollyhock to name a few, and to attract butterflies plant a buddleia. Do check labels at garden centres as bee friendly plants are usually labelled.

3. Enjoy wildlife in your local patch
Never underestimate what might be living near you. Even in urban areas wildlife is around if you take the time to look. Perhaps you could enjoy a regular walk in your area and keep your eyes peeled for what you can spot. As stated earlier, being outside has great benefits for mental wellbeing, plus the walk is good exercise.

4. Build a bug house
Perhaps not as attractive or obvious as some of the bigger wildlife, but insects are essential as they form a key part of the food chain. Building a bug house is easy to do and fun for children. Build up a structure with planks of wood or pallets and fill gaps with sticks, leaves, stones, etc. Basically you are aiming to provide a place where insects can crawl into and take shelter. Even something as simple as a flowerpot on its side stuffed with material provides somewhere for an insect to crawl into.

5. Inspire the next generation
Children are very responsive to the natural environment but in modern society they are spending less and less time outside. Grab the warm clothes and wellingtons and get them out there. Try puddle jumping in wetter weather; head out to hunt for signs of spring; do a scavenger hunt or get them birdwatching with a pair of binoculars. If you really want to commit, The Wildlife Trust run ‘30 Days Wild’ in the summer, which encourages families to do something wild everyday in June. They provide lots of great ideas and a chart to fill in, and there is also an app.

6. Get involved
Thanks to technology there are now so many ways you can help wildlife by partaking in national surveys. The surveys use public input to assess how species are doing across the country, meaning the impact on our native species of things such as climate change can be monitored. There are many throughout the year including The Great British Bee Count in June, The Big Butterfly Count in August and the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch this month. It runs from the 27th-29th January and you can register at www.rspb.org.uk.

These are just a few ideas of how your New Year resolutions could help to make positive changes for wildlife. You could just do one or go for all six, but never underestimate the difference you can make. 2018 will no doubt bring more challenges for our natural environment so let’s do what we can to help it.