Get inspired to take action for nature with the RSPB Youth Council

Hear from guest bloggers Tash and Jamie about how they have been inspired to take action for nature. Then, find out more about the RSPB Youth Council and our partnership with the RSPB.

Tash says: I think what inspired me to take action for nature is to think small, and local, as it is something I can directly impact, and see a difference. We live on such a big planet, sometimes it feels so overwhelming to know what action you can take, but you hold more power than you think.

With me, I started looking at my local river, which is very polluted. I started by volunteering with my local nature group that helps test the water to look at its pollution levels, then I worked with a local Wildlife Trust to plant trees around the river, and advocate for better protection.

As I got a bit older, I joined the RSPB Youth Council. With the help of the RSPB, I also featured my local river in a short film to highlight the issue. I have also gone on to help make a video for International Environment Day which was shown to 30,000 pupils, and helped run the Big Garden Bird Watch to connect more young people with nature. Engaging with groups, such as the RSPB Youth Council, has opened up a world of opportunities that has helped me take action for nature!

Another tip on what inspired me was getting out in nature itself. If you don't know something, you don't know what needs help, so I strongly encourage getting out in nature and learning as much as you can! This can be done by something as simple as a walk through the woods or by the sea, identifying the trees in your park, or, if you live in the city, seeing what plants grow through the cracks in brick walls or the birds that inhabit our streets. You could even volunteer with your local wildlife reserve or group to help plant trees, go on butterfly counts, the list goes on.

There are also ways you can get involved in environmental activism, such as start a litter-picking initiative at your school, or petition to have the food for school dinners sourced locally for example. Within Girlguiding, you can set an example for Rainbows and Brownies by demonstrating that we must actively care for the planet, so you have someone to follow in your own green footsteps!

Jamie says: There are infinite ways to take action for the planet!

I studied music at university, and I assumed that there would be very little I would be able to do to help nature. Then one day, whilst travelling to see a concert in Scotland, I met someone who worked for the RSPB, who told me about all the exciting ways I could get involved. Not long after this conversation, I travelled to an RSPB reserve in Scotland to stay as a residential volunteer, where I saw loads of amazing birds and carried out butterfly surveys. I learnt that nature needs everyone's unique skills and experiences to thrive, and the deeper my connection to wildlife grew, the more passionate I felt about protecting it.

It's super important that young people have opportunities to connect with nature and feel supported and empowered to defend it. After graduating, I joined the RSPB Youth Council, a group of young people aged 16-24 who work to ensure that young people's perspectives are considered within the organisation. As a member of the Youth Council, I have been involved in a wide range of activities, from marching alongside thousands of others to protect nature, writing for the RSPB youth magazine Wingbeat, driving change within the UK’s largest conservation charity by sitting on one of its committees, to delivering youth-led projects and speaking about youth power at events like EarthFest!

To spend more time outside, I also began tree-planting. This has had a really positive impact on my wellbeing and inspired me and a friend to start a campaign called 'BranchOut', an initiative that helps people in the workplace connect with nature by planting trees. This project was recently awarded funding by the Woodland Trust Igniting Innovation competition and aims to improve workplace mental health while creating green spaces that encourage biodiversity.

All disciplines are important for a more sustainable future, and nature doesn't have the be the only thing you are interested in for you to take action for the planet. I am still really passionate about music, and about to start my Master's, exploring ways to take action for nature through music.