Going for a walk in the evening, as dark is falling, is often a really great experience. But doing it whilst looking for bats is just so much more fun.

And that’s what 30 people did in May in the Lido Park in Droitwich. Luckily we were very adeptly lead by the Trust’s Connor McGoldrick and the Heart of England Forest's Ed Lesczcynski along with an extensive set of bat detectors and a film crew.

The excitement and sheer delight at hearing and seeing bats at nightfall was overwhelming. Everyone was mesmerised and slightly in awe of the huge numbers of bats that turned up right on cue, as we entered the gates (they definitely got the memo). We saw and heard, via the detectors, bats flying and swooping above our heads and above the lake. Even the film crew were excited and their job is exciting as it is!

The nicest thing for us was that it was the celebration event for the end of our second year of our Neighbourhoods Nurturing Nature project and we wanted people to be as committed to helping wildlife in nature as we are. I think it did the trick; people were going to build bat boxes or by bat detectors or plant more wildflowers to attract flying insects that bats would eat. 

So why does this kind of activity promote such feelings in people? I’m glad you asked.

I could start with a quote from the author Richard Louv who wrote “We cannot protect something we do not love, we cannot love what we do not know…and we cannot know what we do not see. Or hear. Or sense.”

By hearing and seeing and feeling (when they swooped close) the bats, we had a connection to nature and that is potentially more important than knowing the Latin name of a species. 

Research is regularly suggesting that engaging in simple nature-activities is the largest significant contributor to pro-nature conservation behaviour. Having a connection to nature is the all-important intrinsic motivation for adopting a more ecological lifestyle.

We, and the work our project is doing, thrive on communities having real experiences in nature that make them want to protect and support wild spaces near to them that might create a haven for wildlife. Planting trees, bulbs and flowers often initiates an interest in a space that perhaps people hadn’t been to before or somewhere that looked neglected. Actually getting your hands and knees dirty is an experience that makes you connected to nature as well as the wellbeing advantages of soil - but that’s a whole different blog.

If you find this as fascinating as me then have a look at the nature connectedness research done by the University of Derby or simply enjoy your experiences in nature in whatever way suits you. I can recommend watching bumblebees – so many questions, like how? How do they fly with such huge bodies? How do they carry so much pollen? And how come they are just so fluffy?!

Whatever your wildlife experience, take time out of your busy schedule and get some nature therapy.