Is This New Nature-Connecting App The Solution To The Summer Holiday Slog?

A new and unique, free mobile app called Wildling helps people discover and visit nature on their doorstep, connecting everyone to the great outdoors. Wendyrosie Scott discovers how it works. 

Is Wildling The Answer To The Climate And Wellbeing Crises?

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As the school summer holidays drag on and on, it becomes increasingly difficult to find new activities with which to entertain your kids. Wildling, a poignant and pertinent new app promises free entertainment all summer long. Notably, it offers a unified solution to the UK’s growing mental health crisis and absolute need to care for the natural world. Wildling posits personal wellbeing and the joy of discovering nature, while nurturing a sense of care and action for the planet. Win, win, win!

What Is Wildling?

Supported by partners including the RSPB, Marine Conservation Society and Forestry England, and backed by advisors and environmentalists Ben Goldsmith (well-known financier and environmentalist), Tim Smit (founder of the Eden Project) and Deborah Meaden (Dragon’s Den entrepreneur), the app brings the UK’s wild spaces and hidden green spots together in one place. Featuring over 1,500 locations across the country, from coastlines and woodlands to nature reserves, the app includes urban nature escapes alongside a wide range of tips via their rich content hub, to make time in nature easier, enjoyable, and more meaningful.

The Science

The app is backed by research from the University of Derby, based on responses from over 68,000 adults across England. The study found that people who spend time in nature daily report up to 22 percent greater life satisfaction, 17 percent higher happiness, and an average uplift of around 19 percent in overall wellbeing compared to those who rarely visit nature.

Regular time in nature also had a striking effect on pro-environmental behaviour. Among those with low connection to nature, shifting from rare visits to daily ones was linked to a 36.6 percent increase in civic conservation activity – from picking up litter to voting environmentally – and a 36.1 percent increase in gardening and wildlife-friendly behaviours, such as planting for pollinators and maintaining green space at home. 

Credit: Shironosov

The resultant research over two years posits the need to address the mental health crisis and the climate crisis together. By overcoming common barriers such as reticence to leave the house and engaging with nearby natural spaces, people formed deeper emotional bonds with their environment. Contact with the natural world inspired a significant action to protect their surroundings. The very difference between walking in nature and deliberately noticing nature led to increased meaning, emotion and therefore compassion. Wildling, created by impact entrepreneur Ant Rawlins to make accessing nature easier for everyone, confirms through this research just how transformative access to nature can be.

Nature For Everyone

The app is also an aid when you can’t physically visit the natural world. Founder, Rawlins, talks about accessing ‘nature’ when commuting: ‘We offer moments of connection through soundscapes, stories, and simple ideas that help build your bond with the natural world, where even a few minutes a day can make a difference, and over time, those small moments build.’

Credit: Andreas Schnabl

Rawlins is also the founder of innovative tourism consultancy Navigate, and the Wildling app includes the largest curated database of nature places across the UK, helping users find nearby outdoor spots based on their location. People can personalise their search using filters – for example, whether a place has a café, visitor centre, is pram-friendly or has a children’s play area. It’s all about helping people find nature that suits their needs.

The Experts

Dragon’s Den entrepreneur, Deborah Meaden, an avid environmentalist, was drawn to the simplicity of the app. ‘Being in nature has always been vitally important for wellbeing, health and happiness. This hugely timely app, provides a new way to make nature accessible for everyone from city to coast, for free. This research shows how important it is for people to connect with nature, because if they connect with it, they will protect it. Wildling will support the amazing work organisations such as the Marine Conservation Society and the RSPB carry out and help to provide a better understanding of our environment, and a true passion for its preservation.’ Details about how to provide a donation to Wildling’s charitable partners have been included within the app, alongside further details about how to get involved in volunteering.

How To Use

Whether users are looking for a way to persuade their children away from screens, a place to hear their thoughts and be present, a memorable stroll with friends, or a bespoke wildlife experience, Wildling makes discovering and visiting nature easier for everyone and available for download from the App Store and Google Play.

To learn more about Wildling, please visit:wildling.app.