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  1. Published on: 06/01/2017 08:26 AMReported by: roving-eye
    A new poll published shows that an overwhelming majority of children feel happy being outdoors

    A high percentage of children aged 8-15 year-olds enjoy seeing wildlife around them and enjoy visiting wild places.

    The poll also reveals that two of the four animals – badgers and hedgehogs – depicted in John Lewis’s Christmas advert are rarely seen by children in the wild.



    The poll of over a thousand children by YouGov was commissioned by The Wildlife Trusts following the release of the John Lewis Christmas advert #BusterTheBoxer. The Wildlife Trusts are John Lewis’s Christmas campaign charity partner; the advert celebrates the joy of encountering wildlife in a garden using a cast of wild creatures - a fox, badger, squirrel and hedgehog.

    All of these species can be seen in the North West with foxes now regularly seen at Brockholes in Preston and hedgehogs regularly seen in people’s gardens. Merseyside and West Lancashire are one of the few places in the UK where red squirrels can be found as well as greys.

    The online poll* questioned 1,200 children aged 8 – 15 years old at the end of November 2016. It reveals:
    • 89% children agreed that being outdoors makes them happy
    • 81% like seeing wildlife in their garden or local area like birds or trees
    • 80% enjoy visiting wild places like rivers, lakes or woodlands
    • 70% enjoy playing outside e.g. climbing trees and building dens

    The poll also asked children when they last saw the animals depicted in the advert in the wild. Focusing on the highest percentages, it reveals that:
    • Badger – 67% had never seen one in the wild
    • Hedgehog – 20% saw one more than a year ago; 25% had never seen one in the wild
    • Fox – 23% had never seen one in the wild
    • Squirrel – 45% saw one in the last week

    Dominic Higgins, The Wildlife Trusts’ Nature & Wellbeing manager, says:
    “At a time when it’s increasingly hard for children to spend time in wild places – whether because of parental worries, time pressures or simply absence of wild places near to where people live – this new poll sends a clear message: children are happy outdoors and benefit enormously from contact with nature. It also shows that we must do all we can to ensure there are wild havens close to where people live – whether it’s by making our own gardens wilder or taking action to protect our local community green spaces.”

    Anne Selby, Chief Executive Officer of The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and Merseyside, said:
    “The John Lewis ad was a window into some of the wildlife that people see in their gardens in the North West. We have many reports these days of urban foxes and a badger found its way into the Arndale Centre in Manchester recently, proving they are living in urban woodland and in the wider countryside.

    “Hedgehogs are struggling as population numbers fall but they are still wandering into our gardens. We are proud of our red squirrel outposts, but we also realise that grey squirrels are one of the first wild mammals a child might see.”

    Anne believes the advert has highlighted just some of the wildlife that people may see if they go outdoors in winter. She said: “Our reserves are accessible over the Christmas period and it’s a wonderful opportunity for families to visit our reserves for a healthy walk but they may also see something wonderful.
    “Only this week we have seen a video of five roe deer at Brock holes, spotted rare bittern there and at Mere Sands Wood and seen sparrowhawks and kestrels hunting over the Manchester mosslands. If you don’t get out there you won’t experience the wild things in your area.”

    Reflections on the species in the poll:
    Badger: whilst it’s sad that 67% children have never seen this animal in the wild this is probably because it’s a nocturnal creature of the countryside. The Wildlife Trusts offer children the chance to go on badger walks and visit badger hides to see them in the wild, although it does mean staying up late.

    Hedgehog: This species is one of 56% of UK species that have declined over the last 50 years (hedgehog numbers have fallen by 30% in 10 years - there are now thought to be fewer than one million left in the UK.)* It’s terribly sad that children aren’t seeing these and other wild creatures any more – The Wildlife Trusts are working hard to stop wild species and the habitats they need from disappearing. Help hedgehogs in your garden by cutting a 5 inch squared hole at the bottom of your garden fence and make your garden a hedgehog haven by leaving log and leaf piles, wild areas for nesting sites and avoid using slug pellets – more ideas here!

    Fox: The fox is thriving everywhere, town and country. If children are getting outdoors, particularly in the evenings, there’s every likelihood of seeing foxes frequently.

    Squirrel: If children are getting outdoors, even if it’s simply to walk to school, they should be seeing a squirrel every day because grey squirrels are a common species (less so, red squirrels.) So we need to allow children to spend more time outside to reach a 100% figure/within the last week.

    Dominic Higgins continues: “These findings are complex and illustrate the parallel problems of lack of access to natural places and wildlife decline. It’s harder and harder for children to spend time enjoying the wild places which make them happy. Plus, our natural environment is under huge pressure and wild creatures and plants are under threat. We must do all we can to ensure our natural heritage is protected for future generations so that it’s still there for these children and their children to enjoy. As Sir David Attenborough said recently, ‘It's our responsibility to create a planet that's not just a home for us, but for all life on Planet Earth.’”

    Useful links: Report Cyber Crime | Stop Nuisance Calls & Mail | Daily Covid Stats (updated 4pm) | Covid excess deaths in your area | Local NHS Resources | What 3 Words





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    Your Comments:


  3. Sproggy the Cat says:06/01/2017 11:19 AM
    Well who would have thought that, good job we have these studies, worth every penny.

  4. gazaprop says:06/01/2017 11:27 AM
    As well as getting the kids away from their screens we need to get the lazy parents away from their own screens and stop using them as electronic child minders.

  5. Dutchgirl says:06/01/2017 07:23 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by gazaprop View Post
    As well as getting the kids away from their screens we need to get the lazy parents away from their own screens and stop using them as electronic child minders.
    Like :-)

  6. paulollie says:06/01/2017 08:58 PM
    You could have run the same article in 1976 and guess what, same outcome, not rocket science is it??


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