It's that time when we make all kinds of New Year resolutions so how about making some promises to help the countryside in 2017? Peter Barron has some suggestions

1. Go for regular walks in the countryside

There is scientific proof that going for regular walks in the countryside is not only good for physical well-being but for a healthy mind too.

The NHS recommends walking around 10,000 steps – approximately five miles – per day.

Regular walkers suffering far less from major diseases and illness such as heart disease, strokes, osteoporosis, arthritis and diabetes. Walkers have a far lower incidence of cancer and recent studies even suggest that it can help prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Meanwhile, a study commissioned by MIND, the country’s leading mental health charity, showed that walking in the countryside can provide real, quantifiable benefits to mental health.

The study measured the impact on mood, self-esteem and enjoyment of a 30-minute walk in a country park and compared it with a walk in a shopping centre. More than 70 per cent felt less depressed after a country walk compared to 45 per cent who went for a walk around a shopping centre.

Open spaces help clear the mind, remove distractions and make problems feel simpler so give it a try. Better still, joining one of the many rambling and hiking clubs around the UK.

2. Plant a tree

The Northern Echo:

Britain may be a green and pleasant land but it is actually one of the least wooded countries in Europe.

Trees and woods are disappearing from our landscapes and we can all play a part in helping to restore the balance.

The Woodland Trust says: “Our neighbourhoods feel better places to live and work in when they're green. Our farmland and countryside can produce high-quality food and support wildlife when trees play a part in the landscape.

“Planting a variety of trees and shrubs can help to improve the resilience of our land. This supports our woods and trees, helping them bounce back from current threats such as climate change, tree pests and disease.”

To find out more click here

3. Become part of Greener UK

IN the wake of Brexit, Greener UK has been launched as a new coalition of the UK's major environmental conservation organisations which have united to call on the Government to protect and enhance the UK’s natural environment.

The coalition links the National Trust, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Royal Society For The Protection of Birds (RSPB), Wildlife Trusts, Campaign To Protect Rural England (CPRE), Friends of the Earth, the Climate Coalition, Greenpeace, Woodland Trust, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Green Alliance and many others. Find out more here

4. Support local farmers’ markets

The Northern Echo:

BUYING from local farmers markets and choosing seasonal food helps on a number of fronts.

Not only does it support the British agricultural industry, which is so important to the management of the countryside, but it also cuts down on long-distance travel. That not only reduces pollution but makes sure that the taste and nutritional content of food isn’t adversely affected by long-distance transportation.

5. Do your bit for the pollinators

The Northern Echo:

BEES and butterflies are a vital to nature’s cycle. Without them, we’re all in trouble because nearly 90 per cent of the world's plants rely on pollinators like bees and butterflies for fertilisation and reproduction, including more than 70 per cent of major food crops.

But honeybees are in serious decline, wild bees are also struggling, and a number of species of butterflies are also worryingly low on numbers.
We can all play a part in helping by growing milkweed and other native wildflowers which are loved by bees and butterflies and avoiding pesticides.

Why not also encouraging your local school to plant a butterfly garden. Not only is it educational but it’s good for the planet!

6. Feed the birds

The Northern Echo:

BIRDS need help – especially in the winter – and the good news is that more than half of adults in the UK feed birds in their gardens.

But feeding birds isn’t just good for our feathered friends – it’s good for us too because it brings nature closer. Buy a bird book to help you identify the array of garden visitors and enthuse your children so that they have a lifelong love of wildlife.

Also invest in a good birth feeder so that you can help provide birds with the proteins and vitamins they need but also don’t forget that well-managed lawns, shrubs and flowerbeds are also good for birds.

In other words, turn your garden into a haven for wildlife – but it has to be done with care. For a guide on what to do, click here

7. Create a hedgehog corner

The Northern Echo:

Hedgehogs are in serious decline but, again, we can help to do something about it.

Discover Wildlife suggests the following: “Add a tussocky patch to your garden as a perfect daytime nesting area for hedgehogs. Allow a corner of your lawn to grow long, or sow a mix of native grasses and wildflowers, such as meadow foxtail, cock’s-foot, lesser knapweed, yarrow and ox-eye daisy. Leave this vegetation over winter as it provides a crucial habitat for many invertebrates to complete their life-cycle – a garden buzzing with insects is a great garden for hedgehogs.” Here’s where to find out more.