May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year we’re highlighting how the outdoors can help our mental health, with a focus on how to get out safely and responsibly.
Travel and Camp on Durable Ground
& Leave What You Find
Nature is somewhere that we can go to replenish and ground ourselves, whether a local park, or a wild woodland. It takes very little from us, to keep these places healthy and able to provide us with the connection we seek!
When we stick to paths and trails, we avoid trampling or damaging more fragile ground. We have so many different habitats in Ireland, and many of them need care. Places where it’s particularly important to watch our step include:
- Sand Dunes
Dunes do an incredibly important job of protecting our bays and inland areas behind them. However, dunes themselves are quite fragile, especially to people walking on them. It is vital that we all stick to the designated trails to prevent the loss of our sand dunes. Ground nesting birds also use sand dunes for nesting in, which we want to avoid disturbing. Keeping dogs off the dunes will help protect these nests. - Bog or Wetland Areas
Irish bogs are incredible habitats. Taking thousands of years to form, they sequester carbon and are home to some very ingenious and hard working plants and animals.
When in a bogland area, it’s good to always remember that this is a very slow-growing, and slow-repairing habitat. Any damage done is going to be there for a long time. Getting muddy and walking in the already eroded sections can often be the best bet, so as not to spread the eroded area wider. - Busy Areas
When an area becomes popular, the high volume of footfall can dramatically erode and wear away the land and flora. One person walking through might not cause much harm, but when we all start cutting through erosion happens very quickly. If visiting a busy area, stick to the designated paths and give others the space they need to enjoy the place too!
Our simple steps for protecting the places we visit:
- Stick to the existing paths as much as possible
- Leave what you find, so that the habitat has what it needs to continue to grow, and so that others can enjoy it too
- Following a philosophy like the “3 for the Sea” campaigns in our coastal areas, we not only bring all our own rubbish home, but try and find 3 pieces litter and dispose of them properly
If we all take small, simple steps like the ones above when we head outdoors, our natural spaces will continue to grow and provide us with the connection we need.
