Lockdown reignites Northern Ireland’s love of nature

Results from the study commissioned by the RSPB have revealed the pandemic is making the public more aware of nature in their area, with 38% of people in NI seeing wildlife near their homes over the last 12 months that they had never noticed before.

The YouGov survey, which polled 2,071 adults across the UK, revealed that 58% of people said watching the birds and hearing their song added to their enjoyment of life since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with 57% of people in NI believing the pandemic has made them more aware of the nature around them.

It also showed that people are not only noticing but acting on their newly strengthened connection with nature, with almost half (49%) of those surveyed in NI having actively done something to help wildlife in their area over the past 12 months, including 55% feeding garden birds in the past 12 months and over two in five (45%) doing so at least once a week during winter months.

With this rekindled love of nature, RSPB NI is hoping for a record-breaking year of participation in the Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend and will be hosting a range of lockdown and home schooling events on social media with guests including Chris Packham, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Deborah Meaden, plus a livecam feed of the birdfeeders at Belfast’s Window on Wildlife reserve.

Anne-Marie McDevitt, RSPB NI head of species, said: “In the past year we’ve seen how important the natural world is to our mental health as we have come to rely on our wildlife for solace in these unsettling times.

She added: “Lockdowns have been challenging, but the last year has either started or reignited a love of nature for many people. The results of this survey indicate we may emerge from this pandemic a new generation of nature lovers.”