Wild Senses

As the days grow shorter and colder, the National Trust is calling on the public to resist the seasonal retreat indoors and instead embrace the sensory richness of autumn through its new nationwide campaign, ‘Wild Senses’.

Launching alongside Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles, the BBC’s new nature series co-produced by the National Trust and The Open University, the campaign urges people to step outside and reconnect with the natural world on their doorstep.

The series, presented and narrated by wildlife expert and cameraman Hamza Yassin, celebrates the UK’s seasonal biodiversity and encourages viewers to notice, appreciate and reconnect to everyday wildlife – even in urban environments.

‘Sometimes in our cities it might seem like there isn’t any nature. But if you just take a little minute, you’ll be amazed at what you can find.

‘Autumn is one of my favourite times of year. Stepping into nature or simply sitting outside and letting nature come to you can really raise your spirits which makes it vitally important to make sure we all get out to enjoy nature all the year round.’

HAMZA YASSIN
Wildlife expert and cameraman

Connecting in autumn

Despite 90% of UK adults reporting that spending time in nature has a positive impact on their wellbeing, only 13% say they feel most connected to nature in autumn, according to a new YouGov poll commissioned by the Trust.

The disconnect is striking given that 79% of respondents say they are likely to seek out nature during the autumn season.

The survey revealed that autumn’s colours are the top seasonal highlight for most UK adults (80%).

71% said the change to autumn colours is the clearest sign of the season’s shift, and 72% said they always or often notice nature in their local area.

Despite this enthusiasm, poor weather and less daylight, with the darker mornings and evenings, were cited as the biggest barriers to spending more time outdoors during this period.