![\"Wilding](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Wilding-App-Image-Credit-Andreas-Schnabl.png\")
Credit: Andreas Schnabl<\/p>\nA new, free mobile app has launched to help people find, discover and visit nature on their doorstep, connecting everyone to the great outdoors.<\/p>\n
The Wildling app offers a simple, one-step solution to two urgent challenges: the growing mental health crisis and the urgent need to care for the natural world. By helping people visit nature more easily \u2013 and giving them tools to truly connect with it \u2013 Wildling supports personal wellbeing and the joy of easily discovering nature across the UK while nurturing a sense of care and action for the planet.<\/p>\n
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 Dragon\u2019s Den\u2019s Deborah Meaden, Wildling brings the UK\u2019s wild spaces and hidden green spots together in one place.<\/p>\n
Featuring over 1,500 locations across the country, from coastlines and woodlands to nature reserves, the app also includes urban nature escapes alongside a wide range of tips in Wildling\u2019s rich content hub to make time in nature easier, more enjoyable, and more meaningful.<\/p>\n
Credit: Andreas Schnabl<\/p>\n
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 every day report up to 22% greater life satisfaction, 17% higher happiness, and an average uplift of around 19% in overall well-being compared to those who rarely go out.<\/p>\n
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% increase in civic conservation activity \u2013 from picking up litter to voting environmentally \u2013 and a 36.1% increase in gardening and wildlife-friendly behaviours, such as planting for pollinators and maintaining green space at home.<\/p>\n
The research, which ran over two years, highlights the need to address the mental health crisis and the climate crisis together. By overcoming common barriers like reticence to leave the house, and engaging with nearby natural spaces, people formed deeper emotional bonds with their environment \u2013 a free and accessible route to improved mental and physical well-being.<\/p>\n
![\"Wilding](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Wilding-App-Image-Credit-Sol-Stock.png\")
Credit: Sol Stock
\nProfessor David Sheffield, researcher at the University of Derby, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe noticed that what was good for the individual was also good for nature. Through active engagement, including increased contact and appreciation of natural beauty, individuals became inspired to genuinely engage in action to protect their surroundings. The very difference between walking in nature and deliberately noticing nature led to increased meaning, emotion and therefore compassion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wildling was created by impact entrepreneur Ant Rawlins to make accessing nature easier for everyone. This new research confirms just how transformative access to nature can be.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to give people the tools to engage with nature by making it genuinely easy to visit \u2014 by showing them nearby nature places and giving them everything they need to make it happen,\u201d says Ant Rawlins, creator of the Wildling app.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Wildling also helps when you can\u2019t visit \u2013 whether you\u2019re on your commute, taking a short break, or unable to get outside. We offer moments of connection through soundscapes, stories, and simple ideas that help build your bond with the natural world. Even just a few minutes a day can make a difference \u2013 and over time, those small moments really build.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis study shows that visiting nature more isn\u2019t just a nice idea. It makes you happier, increases your satisfaction with life, lifts your overall well-being, and encourages you to look after the world around you. That\u2019s exactly why Wildling was created.\u201d<\/p>\n
An avid environmentalist, Deborah Meaden was drawn to the simplicity of Wildling\u2019s offering and its goal to encourage everyone into their natural surroundings.<\/p>\n
![\"Wilding](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Wilding-App-Image-Credit-Milos-Stankovic.png\")
Credit: Milos Stankovic
\nDeborah said:<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing in nature has always been vitally important for wellbeing, health and\u00a0happiness. Wildling is a hugely timely app, and a new\u00a0way to make nature accessible for everyone from city to coast, for free. This research shows\u00a0how important it is for people to connect with nature, because if they connect with it, they will protect it.\u00a0Wildling will support the amazing work organisations such as the Marine Conservation Society and the RSPB carry out and help to provide a\u00a0better understanding of our environment, and a true passion for its preservation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Details about how to provide a donation to Wildling\u2019s charitable partners have been included within the app, alongside further details about how to get involved in volunteering, so users are able to play their part in protecting nature.<\/p>\n
Learn more about Wildling here<\/a>\u00a0or download the app for free through the App Store and Google Play. Find out what\u2019s good up North on our new platform, The Northern Guide.\u00a0
\nFind out the latest in Liverpool here.<\/a><\/p>\n
\nFrom the best hotels, beauty spots, days out, food and more up North \u2013 visit\u00a0thenorthernguide.com<\/a>\u00a0and follow The Northern Guide on Instagram\u00a0HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n