Exploring green spaces in the city

Your Challenge

Green spaces, such as parks, canals, courtyards and gardens, are a little more difficult to find in big cities. At first glance nature can appear to be lost in the urban jungle, but if you pause, and take in your surroundings, you might notice that nature can pop up in even the most unlikely places. This challenge is about getting to know what’s around you by seeking out hidden green spaces. Signs of nature are threaded throughout cities and towns.

Here are some things you may notice wherever you are:

Cloud formations – see what shapes you can spot.
Trees in the distance.
Birds on the pavement.
Squirrels in the trees.
Different types of plant life along a path.
Changes in smells – grass, flowers, water and soil.
A ladybird crawling across the pavement.
Flower growing through cracks in a wall.
A bee making a home in an old log.
Bird nesting on top of a lamp-post.
The occasional fox or deer passing through.

Find other ways you can connect with nature to improve your wellbeing with our 'Urban Explorer' prescription as part of our 'Prescription For Nature' campaign in conjunction with ITV. Or take a look at the 'Thriving in Nature guide' from WWF and the Mental Health Foundation.

Why you're doing this

Exploring nature, even in urban areas, has a domino effect – the more you stop and notice, the more nature you’ll start to see everywhere. And the more we come to appreciate nature’s value, the more likely we are to actively try to protect it. ^[1]

We might think nature only lives in the countryside, but some species can thrive in urban habitats, provided there are the right conditions. For example, some small species of solitary bee nest in holes and crevices in brickwork, and others can feed on tiny flowers sprouting through the cracks in paving. Even in Woking, where you’ll find WWF’s main UK office, a pair of breeding peregrine falcons live on one of the town’s tallest buildings.

How you'll make a difference

Nature loss is a significant threat to our planet. We need everyone to help us in our efforts to bring our world back to life. Many of us live in towns or cities, or visit or pass through them to work, to shop, or for leisure. Stopping to notice how much nature there is in urban areas helps us realise the importance of biodiversity and feel encouraged to protect it.

To take this challenge a step further, check out our ‘Become a citizen scientist’ challenge to log what you see around you.

Although this challenge does not directly lower your carbon footprint, it helps to increase your awareness and understanding of biodiversity and the other issues which impact our planet. We are experiencing 2 challenges on our planet that are interlinked: climate change and biodiversity loss. By making changes that protect nature and care for our planet, we can slow climate change.

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