…a guest blog from Kate Nicholls, founder of Wylder
Launched on the first day of autumn, the Wylder app has been created to help people be inspired, connect to nature and feel better. Wylder offers challenges which encourage people of all ages and abilities to get outside, discover what’s on their doorstep and capture mindful moments in nature. All challenges encourage users to discover, appreciate and then share what they notice in nature with the rest of the Wylder community, spreading inspiration and positive action. The Wylder message is simple – Get Wylder and let nature do the rest!
With 1.5k downloads at the time of writing, it’s an exciting time for Wylder after a long and windy road to get to this point. This windy road started back in 2018 when Wylder Founder Kate Nicholls had a life changing mountain bike accident. From this she had post-concussion syndrome, a condition with symptoms from brain fog to balance issues to chronic fatigue and extreme noise sensitivity. Although it was a very challenging few years, the long-term recovery from the accident made her slow down and gave her first-hand experience of seeing nature with new eyes, giving her a unique insight into how a more meaningful connection could be made. This became the inspiration for Wylder which was officially founded in 2022 in partnership with Falmouth University.
“Walking through the woods I have always felt a sense of awe and wonder, but what I didn’t have was a language or an understanding of what I was experiencing. Unable to do my usual sporting activities, I spent more time walking in nature and started to not only wonder but actively pursue answers. Why was there what looked like a flower hanging from that tree? Did trees have flowers? What bird was that overhead with the bright blue stripes? Where had it come from? Why were there leaves on one branch but not on the other? When did trees even get their leaves? I was seeing endless things that I would have previously walked past without a second glance. For thirty years previously, I hadn’t noticed the miracle of a leaf bud exploding into life but now I couldn’t stop looking as each fresh, new precious leaf emerged.”
The Wylder app has something for everyone, offering challenges with either an identification, connection or protection theme. From a ‘Protect Your Patch’ challenge, which is full of easy ways to garden for wildlife to a ‘Focus on Nature’ challenge for those who would like to improve their nature photography skills, you’re sure to find a challenge which will increase your connection to nature and improve your wellbeing
Amongst the explore section of the app you will even find Buglife’s very own ‘Minibeast Marvels’ challenge! The ‘Minibeast Marvels’ challenge has been created to grow your appreciation for five common minibeasts this autumn and answer questions such as….Why are snails our friends not foe? How do spiders build their webs across giant gaps? What is the point of wasps?
Download the free Wylder app today to be inspired, connect to nature and feel better!
