WE SWIM WILD / ISSUE 1 by We Swim Wild

WE SWIM WILD ADVENTURE ACTIVISM • ISSUE ONE

CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR ROSALEA KENMORE SUB EDITOR CAROLINE PRYER DESIGN LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

ILLUSTRATIONS KEV GAHAN

ROSALEA KENMORE This magazine has been a long time in the making, but like any passion project, I hope you will agree that it is well worth it. As with many aspects of the conservation sector, it’s difficult to get anywhere without perseverance, but you continue to work towards your goal because you understand why it's important. Despite delays caused by the global pandemic, Laura and the Waterloggers did not give up, swimming out into icy rivers, lochs, and lakes to collect water samples to be tested for microplastics. That’s exactly what the natural world needs right now. It needs us humans to not give up on it even when we are faced by challenges. It needs us to fight to protect our wild spaces, our sparkling waters, our swaying forests, our misty wetlands. The aim of this magazine is to share stories from those on the ground, working hard to clean up the mess our species has created, to share tips on how more of us can get involved with this important work, and to inspire us all to get outside and immerse ourselves in the beauty of the wild.

INTERVIEWS

FEATURES

SWIMMING

GILLIAN BURKE ROSALEA KENMORE

SOURCE TO SEA LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

SWIM SURVIVAL GUIDE LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

CLIFF KAPONO ROSALEA KENMORE

MARINE PROTECTED AREAS EMMA STALLWORTHY COOKING HARRISON WARD

DIVERSIFYING THE OUTDOORS MOLLY CANTRELL TACKLING INVASIVE OYSTERS EMMA STALLWORTHY NEWS CELTIC DEEP LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

INVASIVE SPECIES LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

SUPPORT OUR WORK LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

ELIZABETH AZZUZ ROSALEA KENMORE

UPRISING CAROLINE PRYER

FOR THE WATER GODS LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

REWILDING THE MIND GEORGE STEEDMAN JONES

PHOTOGRAPHY COPYRIGHT LAURA OWEN SANDERSON, MEGA LABS, GEORGE STEEDMAN JONES, CELTIC DEEP, GILLIAN BURKE, DR VIV CUMMINGS, JO TENNANT, OLI PUYAL, HARRISON WARD, OWEN HOWELLS PHOTOGRAPHY, ELIZABETH AZZUZ, ROSE SANTANA, LIAM WEBB.

Rosalea Kenmore Plant scientist, writer, nature crafter based in Scotland Instagram: @rosiehort

WE SWIM WILD WWW.WESWIMWILD.COM WESWIMWILD@GMAIL.COM @WESWIMWILD ECO DYFI PARK, MACHYNLLETH

CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR ROSALEA KENMORE SUB EDITOR CAROLINE PRYER DESIGN LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

ILLUSTRATIONS KEV GAHAN

INTERVIEWS

FEATURES

SWIMMING

GILLIAN BURKE ROSALEA KENMORE

SOURCE TO SEA LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

SWIM SURVIVAL GUIDE LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

CLIFF KAPONO ROSALEA KENMORE

MARINE PROTECTED AREAS EMMA STALLWORTHY COOKING HARRISON WARD

DIVERSIFYING THE OUTDOORS MOLLY CANTRELL TACKLING INVASIVE OYSTERS EMMA STALLWORTHY NEWS CELTIC DEEP LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

INVASIVE SPECIES LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

SUPPORT OUR WORK LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

ELIZABETH AZZUZ ROSALEA KENMORE

UPRISING CAROLINE PRYER

FOR THE WATER GODS LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

REWILDING THE MIND GEORGE STEEDMAN JONES

Rosalea Kenmore Plant scientist, writer, nature crafter based in Scotland Instagram: @rosiehort

WE SWIM WILD WWW.WESWIMWILD.COM WESWIMWILD@GMAIL.COM @WESWIMWILD ECO DYFI PARK, MACHYNLLETH

08.INTRO #1

52.DIVERSIFY THE OUTDOORS #11

14.SOURCE TO SEA #2

54.UPRISING #12

20.GILLIAN BURKE INTERVIEW #3

56.REWILDING THE MIND #13

22.LOCKDOWN SWIM SURVIVAL GUIDE #4

60.NEWS #14

32.COOKING ON THE FLY #5

72.CELTIC DEEP #15

36.MARINE PROTECTED AREAS #6

76.REBALANCING CALIFORNIA'S FIRE ECOLOGY #16

38.CLIFF KAPONO INTERVIEW #7 40.FOR THE WATER GODS #8

20.

80.SUPPORT OUR WORK #17 82.THE STORY SO FAR #18

46.REFILL FOR GOOD #9 48.INVASIVE SPECIES #10

16.

08.INTRO #1

52.DIVERSIFY THE OUTDOORS #11

14.SOURCE TO SEA #2

54.UPRISING #12

20.GILLIAN BURKE INTERVIEW #3

56.REWILDING THE MIND #13

22.LOCKDOWN SWIM SURVIVAL GUIDE #4

60.NEWS #14

32.COOKING ON THE FLY #5

72.CELTIC DEEP #15

36.MARINE PROTECTED AREAS #6

76.REBALANCING CALIFORNIA'S FIRE ECOLOGY #16

38.CLIFF KAPONO INTERVIEW #7 40.FOR THE WATER GODS #8

20.

80.SUPPORT OUR WORK #17 82.THE STORY SO FAR #18

46.REFILL FOR GOOD #9 48.INVASIVE SPECIES #10

16.

SILENT CONTAMINANTS We Swim Wild founder Laura Owen Sanderson I like to think of us as the outsiders of the scientific and conservation world. A team of water dippers, swimmers, splashers, scientists, artists and wildlife lovers who have banded together to create We Swim Wild. Our waterways are a source of so much pleasure for many of us, and that is why we have set out to protect what we love. We are based in the mountains of Snowdonia, and the water is so fresh and clear that we wanted to look more closely at how pollution affects these areas. This has now turned into a global campaign where we encourage every water user to contribute to our data. Our first campaign (though delayed severely by COVID) looked at microplastic levels across the U.K. This campaign was in partnership with Bangor University. We enlisted 250 volunteers named the 'Waterloggers’ to carry out citizen science research on their local waterways. We are eagerly waiting for the results of this campaign, and as you can imagine, hundreds of litres of water have been processed by a small team. Every sample taken looked crystal clear to the naked eye. There was no obvious evidence of plastic particles in the water. The method developed by Dr Christian Dunn uses a special frequency of UV light to measure levels. This campaign was lengthy and laborious, so we are setting up regional Water Hubbs across the U.K. where water users can do water testing on-site, live. Look out for ways to join our Waterlogger campaign in this issue, and our DIY Activist Kit to get you started straight away. We are also planning to develop methods for citizen science to look at levels of pharmaceuticals in water. We know that there are high levels of hormones and other drugs in the waters already changing the course of nature. Endocrine disruptors, for example, have induced sex changes in fish and amphibians. Research at Bangor University led by Dr Dunn showed that high levels of illicit drugs around Glastonbury Festival were affecting the eel population. We have all read the concerning reports about the eels high on cocaine in the Thames waterway! Ultimately, we want to collate as much science and data as we can to make real change. Our waterways are used as dumping grounds for pretty much everything you can think of. The old adage ‘out of sight, out of mind’ is coming back to haunt us. We are a small organisation, we don't have flashy PR budgets, kit or a huge team, but we are passionate about our waterways. Our small size means we can move faster than any bigger corps, and all our funds go straight into grassroots important work. I run the dayto-day running on the ground, Dr Dunn runs the scientific research side of the programmes, and our amazing team of volunteers all bring something unique to the table. We run retreats, wild camps, swim trips and welsh saunas to raise funds for our work. The profits of this all get poured straight back into We Swim Wild and grassroots work. I love adventure activism campaigns, and they are important to raise issues close to our hearts. We have included in this issue wild swim tips to get you started, and how to plan your own adventure activist campaign. We hope you enjoy our first issue and join us for the ride…

DR CHRISTIAN DUNN DIRECTOR WE SWIM WILD

To put it bluntly, the single biggest issue our waters face is disrespect. Our waters don’t get the respect they deserve and so are still being treated as places to dump waste. This is either done directly, as we've seen with sewage releases, or indirectly through poor management of our landscape. We've got to turn this attitude around if we want to look after our rivers, lakes and coasts. There are also lots of different types of pollutants entering our rivers, lakes and coasts; from animal waste to illicit drugs. We know the devastating effects many of these can have on life in our water, but we're only just starting to learn about some of the others, and that should be of concern to everyone. Some of the cocktails of chemicals finding their way into our waters could end up being invisible killers of aquatic and marine life. So if we want to look after our waters then we need to start showing them the respect they deserve. They are essential for not just the life found within them, but the wider landscapes they flow through. We must strive to look after them and keep them as clean and pollutant free as we possibly can. You wouldn’t throw a load of rubbish onto a playing field or garden, so why treat a river or lake any differently.

DR CHRISTIAN DUNN DIRECTOR WE SWIM WILD

Soaked to the skin, ice sleet rain whipping the flanks of Snowdon, and just a small light beam waning from our head torches. The inky blue waters of Llyn Glaslyn are just visible in the darkness, lapping the edges under Crib Goch. The silk bag of the Packraft blowing in the wind. A small team of three gathers on the shore. The first swim of the Source To Sea campaign, swimming every U.K. National Park from source to sea, is about to begin…

SOURCE TO SEA Breath curls in the air, the temperature is in the minus; ice clings and infiltrates the rock as we head deep into the twists and crags of Yr Wydffa. It is pitch black, but we know this path; our local mountain range. Here we have trained in preparation, swimming unrelenting laps in the pool and endless mountain Llyns, Cwms and coastal kilometres. Our local training ground, the cool salt waters of Harlech framed by the looming silhouettes of the Snowdonia mountain range. The Avon Glaslyn can almost be tracked visually from its source. It is 2018 and the relentless beach cleans along this shore have shown us that the plastic pandemic cannot be ignored. Heading into the laboratories at Bangor University in 2019, Dr Christian Dunn explained how plastic is infiltrating everywhere; breaking itself down into smaller and smaller pieces, but never going away. The desire to find out how far microplastics have infiltrated wild spaces and wild waters is almost an obsessive research project. Laura pitches a planned route to swim and collect data in one of the highest and cleanest lakes in Snowdonia, and track the levels of microplastics, all the way down to the harbour in Porthmadog. Collecting water that appears to the naked eye as clear as the water in your glass at home. At this point, microplastic data is thin on the ground. Dr Dunn explains that it is unlikely we will find any at the source. This is due to a combination of factors such as altitude, as the source does not pass through any residential areas, roads or industrial buildings. It is unlikely we will find anything until we pass Beddgelert, and that feels like a positive start. The bite of the water, at 1,971 feet above sealevel, takes one's breath away. Swimming out to the centre of the lake with 127 feet of water below us, the Welsh tales of the Afanc, Arthur's sword and the madness that sets in if one stays here too long, create a fear that can only be combated by controlling breath, laser focus and keeping eyes on the packraft ahead, one stroke at a time. Within seconds of removing the gloves, a stinging numbness sets in, feeling is quickly lost as we fill four litres of water into thick glass bottles. The reality of the task ahead sets in.

SOURCE TO SEA LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

Continued in issue two...

SOURCE TO SEA

CO-FOUNDER WE SWIM WILD

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

SOURCE TO SEA LAURA OWEN SANDERSON

Continued in issue two...

SOURCE TO SEA

CO-FOUNDER WE SWIM WILD

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

PL AN N IN G YO U R O W N AD V E N T U R E AC T IV I S M CA MPA I G N BY L A U RA O W E N S A NDE RO N Here are my top tips for planning your own adventure activism campaign. It’s not been plain sailing and this section is here so you can learn from my many and numerous mistakes. Start small. I began with one campaign on Snowdon which spurred me to track a series of remote waterways in our National Parks, in order to collect the baseline data to track levels and quantities of microplastics. Start with a smaller challenge and see how that goes—use this to troubleshoot and plan for future problems. Back up plan. I don’t do things by halves and this has both been a blessing and a curse. I set out to do the remaining National Parks back-to-back. Little did I know at this point that a global pandemic was hot on my heels. So have a plan B and even a plan C because anything could and has literally happened. This was initially a back-to-back campaign, I managed to complete Wales and Scotland but lockdown halted me in my tracks. I then set out again to complete England but caught COVID at some point down South when I finished the four parks, which took me out of play for a month. Child/pet care. If you have children it will take a lot of planning, begging and logistics. I'm a single parent with no other childcare options than my parents. They went back and forth on this for weeks, even the day before changing their mind as six weeks was a big ask. This caused mega stress levels, so pray to the childcare gods daily if you need help. I have recently started taking my eight-year-old son with me, who is actually really into helping take pictures, kayaking and swimming—although only in the warmer months. Team. Now, doing a small challenge and spreading this out throughout the year will help you immensely. If you do a backto-back campaign like my initial plans, you will need someone who is as invested in your project as you are—which is like finding a needle in a haystack. My first swim involved taking people who were not experienced and also expected me to look after them. You will not have the energy or the time to do this, so leave these people at home. My second attempt involved asking a friend who was taking time out from work. They quit after 24 hours. The reality of getting battered by winds, rain and battling against a tide in Pembrokeshire in an inflatable kayak put him off for life. I then had to find money to entice someone to come to Scotland with me. This was costly, but I also realised I needed someone who was used to roughing it. So you have to make it worth their time and effort to come on board. My recent water safety support involves my partner, he us currently into it and quite useful, and as a bonus partners generally want to help you out for free. Planning. I carried out a detailed risk assessment for every river and did a recce the day before where possible. I have had to contact the relevant authorities, such as marine authorities, to get permission to pass. There are also land/water access issues. To be honest, where things have gotten difficult I have gone under the radar. Look out for our podcast with Nick Hayes who talks more about land/water access in more detail. Illness. Unfortunately when you track a waterway not only do you swim through beautiful stretches of water, but you also have to wade through the gross bits. I have swum through human sewage including sanitary towels, and been ill from agricultural run off including cow slurry and chicken poop. Factor in illness because this is an unfortunate reality in U.K. waters. Injury. Just before my first swim I thought it was a clever idea to try out hand paddles. They were much too big and I pulled my trapezius. The doctors told me to stop swimming and to let it heal, but due to childcare costs and COVID hot on my heels, I continued to swim for four weeks with this injury. By the time I got to Scotland I could barely walk let alone swim. Make sure your training is top dollar. Look out for our training plan in issue two. Sponsorship. This is a minefield and time consuming. I will write a more detailed plan about this in issue two, including sponsor decks and how/who to approach. Continued in issue two...

ISSUE

one

// ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

ISSUE

one

// ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

SO UR C E TO S E A T O D AT E .. . 1 MAIN SWIM M ER 12 SWIM BU D D I ES J OINED ON D I FF E R E NT S W I M S 1 1/ 15 NATIONA L PA R K S 5 WEEKS 2 L OC KDOWNS 1 COV ID INFECT ION 176 LITRES SA M PL ED 4 WATER SAFET Y T E A M S 4 SC IENTISTS 2 WATERBORNE ILL NESSES 1 INJU RY 18

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

G I LLI A N B U R KE BY R O S AL E A K E N M O R E

Co-presenter of the BBC’s beautiful wildlife series Springwatch , Gillian Burke is a biologist, public speaker, voiceover artist, and writer. As the global pandemic captivated the world’s attention, Gillian spoke with We Swim Wild about the importance of tackling the climate crisis and keeping the pressure on governments and multinationals to take positive action. In your opinion, what are the most significant challenges facing nature today? I think we’re not seeing it as a holistic problem. It’s partly to do with the way we focus our attention. We tend to drill into one story, for example a few years back, plastic pollution had its big moment. The campaigning, the activism, the awareness, and the research took decades to build momentum that reached its full power with the Sir David Attenborough Blue Planet 2 series. Now, however, it feels like the climate crisis has superseded plastic pollution in terms of column inches and airtime when in fact the two issues are linked, they are both part of one big systemic problem. Certainly since COVID, it’s undone a lot of good work on single use plastics and now we’ve regressed massively. It’s like we’ve looked away for a moment and then it’s, “Oh hang on, whoops, the plastic’s back.” Ultimately, whether we’re looking at biodiversity and habitat loss, climate change or plastic pollution, the biggest gain per unit effort is identifying the handful of multinational corporations that shape and structure global supply chains and systems that make it almost inevitable that these are adopted universally.

We Swim Wild is committed to tackling microplastics in the U.K.’s watercourses. Have you seen evidence of plastic pollution and its effect on marine habitats and wildlife? Yes, one hundred percent. My grandmother’s from Seychelles, so I was very lucky to go there during the 90’s and 00s, and it was where I really connected with the ocean. I did a lot of my scuba diving hours there, and part of that was working at our local dive shop. On weekends, we would do reef cleans, collecting plastic waste and trash. At that point, I saw it as just a problem in Seychelles, I didn’t realise this was a phenomenon happening everywhere. Before working on the Watches, I worked in filmmaking behind the camera, so I got to travel to lots of cool places and film wildlife. Particularly anywhere coastal, it was impossible not to notice that there was more and more plastic washing up. It didn’t matter how remote we were, there was always plastic. Where I really noticed it and where it was really driven home for me was when I became a mum and we moved to Cornwall. Having two children under the age of four meant my life slowed down. If we were going on a walk, I would have the time, because the kids moved slowly, that’s when I started to notice how much plastic would show up every single day, particularly in the winter with the big storms.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

It’s everywhere. I’ve seen entangled animals that have been washed up, stranded. But it’s the small stuff as well. It’s ubiquitous in every environment and it’s affecting pretty much every species. The really scary thing is the microplastics, the stuff that you can’t see and how that’s entering, and moving up, the food chain. Across the board, we need to look at the problems at source in plastic production and supply chains, rather than only focusing on recovering plastic from the environment.

How important do you think citizen science projects and grassroots conservation action are versus top-down government initiatives in tackling environmental degradation? I think citizen science and grassroots projects are amazing and invaluable because that’s where people connect with the story. Rather than just being told that there’s a problem, they go out and see it, and feel something about it. And they can then be the messengers to their communities and families. They also produce really important data. Unfortunately, we live in a world where unless we can prove it’s a problem, and measure how big the problem is, it is difficult to leverage pressure for companies, governments, and local authorities to take action. However, I feel like the burden of responsibility has been placed on consumers for too long. I think the idea that it is only down to people to make better choices is not fair, because, in many instances, better options are simply not available in the first place. The interesting thing is the big multinationals and supermarkets have the in-house capacity to change, and often, it would be profitable for them. It’s kind of a win-win. But until someone applies the pressure, and says, “Here’s the problem, I’ve picked up your plastic wrapper from your product for the millionth time, please change,” there’s not the pressure for them to do that.

Do you have any particular success stories about nature bouncing back from destruction that you could share? I’m really lucky that on the Watches, I’ve covered a number of recovery stories, from individual species like the St Pirans crab, to whole landscape-wide regeneration up in Scotland’s Cairngorms. The Knepp Estate story is another fantastic example. I genuinely feel like life is irrepressible, it will keep bouncing back. What will it look like if we don’t treat the Earth with more respect? I don’t know, but life will keep finding other ways of manifesting.

www.gillianburkevoice.com Instagram: gillians_voice

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

G I LLI A N B U R KE BY R O S AL E A K E N M O R E

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

www.gillianburkevoice.com Instagram: gillians_voice

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

** Another great tip for the ultimate secret spot is to trek a river from its source. You will 100 percent come across some swimmable stretches and pools.

e blue s h t l l a t u o ark

pots on

e survey an Ordnanc

map.

arby to e n r o y d o e waterb h t arry? f u o q e r m o a n r i e o h v a reser Google t t i Is . e s u s deep r i e h t t a p w e d e h r e t check if the wat t u o d n and? i l f e t a v i r p Try and public or t i Is . h g u o en swimr o f d o o g water is ooking for a e h t t n e d i ou are l re conf When you aout and do a recce. Y river flow ( throw aming. Head and exit point. Checkand do a water qua safe entry check the current) stick in to ( colour/smell). lity check

** Another great tip for the ultimate secret spot is to trek a river from its source. You will 100 percent come across some swimmable stretches and pools.

e blue s h t l l a t u o ark

pots on

e survey an Ordnanc

map.

In order to get the most out of winter swimming you need to build up your resistance to cold water. Start with small dips and build up over a series of weeks. Never stay in longer than is necessary and don't ignore your own body. How long you stay in can depend entirely on how you are feeling that day, monthly cycles, tiredness etc. So never push your limits. This is a little guide to give you some tips.

CHOOSING A SWIM SPOT 1)

Plan your swim. Look for a safe entry and exit point. Gently shelving is the best. The cold water will inhibit your ability to pull yourself out of the water so always look for somewhere you can get out of the water easily if you get into difficulty.

Water quality. Check what's upstream and downstream. Are there sewage overflows? Industrial plants? Farms? All of which can affect the water quality. Never swim after heavy rain. Wait for 48 hours for the water to clear.

Cold Water Shock When we enter cold water, our bodies go through a series of natural reactions to protect us (although these reactions can sometimes work against us). Cold water can be anything below 15 degrees Celsius. In the U.K., water rarely reaches above 15 to 16 degrees even in the height of summer. During winter, you are likely to be swimming in water in the minuses (if you like hacking through sheets of ice) to six to seven degrees.

So what are the effects of Cold Water Shock? Your body goes through three stages during cold water shock: 1) A gasp for breath. This is then followed by a quick succession of rapid breaths (hyperventilation). 2) Your blood pressure increases significantly as your body tries to keep your blood warm by sending it straight to your core. This is why you go pale when you are cold and you lose feeling in your extremities (hands and feet). 3) Your strength, endurance and muscular control all decrease when your muscles cool, to the point where you can't swim and can't save yourself. If you reach this point you have the potential to drown.

Kit. You will loose feeling in your hands

3) and feet first. On your first dip try going

with no footwear or gloves. This will give you an idea of the temperature. For winter swimming we advise you to invest in a good pair of thermal water boots and gloves.

Much like going to the gym, if you want to see results you need to go two-three times per week. If you can't get to a mountain lake, river or sea then try using this technique to build up your cold water resistance. Begin by reading the breathwork techinques on the following pages to aid you in breath control. 1) Start slowly. At the end of your regular shower, turn the dial to cold for a few seconds. Splash the cold water onto your face. 2) For the next two days try and stay under for 15 seconds. 3) Day three-four: Build up to 30 seconds. 4) Day five-six: Stay under for 45 seconds . 5) Day seven: Try taking a cold bath. Make sure you splash your face and use the breathwork techniques listed on the following pages. Contiue to build up your time and decrease the temperature. You will find that over time you will build up your stress resistance to cold water.

CHOOSING A SWIM SPOT 1)

Kit. You will loose feeling in your hands

3) and feet first. On your first dip try going

with no footwear or gloves. This will give you an idea of the temperature. For winter swimming we advise you to invest in a good pair of thermal water boots and gloves.

BREATHWORK

THE 4-7-8 COUNT THE 4-7-8 COUNT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE RELAXING BREATH TECHNIQUE, IS ONE OF THE EASIEST TO DO AND CAN QUICKLY CALM THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.

REST THE TIP OF YOUR TONGUE AT THE TOP BACK OF

MIND OVER MATTER

YOUR TEETH. LET OUT A DEEP EXHALE, ALONG WITH A

In order to combat the effects of

BIG SIGH OR WHOOSHING sOUND. CLOSE THE MOUTH AND

intial cold water 'shock', breathwork

SLOWLY INHALE THROUGH YOUR NOSE FOR A COUNT

will help. if you start on the shoreline

OF FOUR. HOLD YOUR BREATH FOR A COUNT OF SEVEN.

before you enter the water and

EXHALE DEEPLY UNTIL YOU HAVE EXPELLED ALL OF THE

control your breath, you will be able to

AIR FOR A COUNT OF EIGHT.

combat the urge to gasp when you take

REPEAT

a plunge. Here are our top exercises.

BOX BREATHING THIS TECHNIQUE IS ALSO KNOWN AS 'RESETTING YOUR BREATH' OR FOUR-SQUARE BREATHING. IT IS EASY TO DO, QUICK TO LEARN, AND CAN BE AN EFfECTIVE TECHNIQUE FOR PEOPLE IN STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. 1) CLOSE YOUR EYES. BREATHE IN THROUGH YOUR NOSE WHILE COUNTING TO FOUR SLOWLY. 2) HOLD YOUR BREATH CALMLY, INSIDE COUNT SLOWLY TO FOUR (AVOID INHALING OR EXHALING FOR FOUR SECONDS). 3) BEGIN TO SLOWLY EXHALE FOR FOUR SECONDS. 4) HOLD YOUR BREATH CALMLY, INSIDE COUNT TO FOUR.

REPEAT

BREATHWORK

THE 4-7-8 COUNT THE 4-7-8 COUNT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE RELAXING BREATH TECHNIQUE, IS ONE OF THE EASIEST TO DO AND CAN QUICKLY CALM THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.

REST THE TIP OF YOUR TONGUE AT THE TOP BACK OF

MIND OVER MATTER

YOUR TEETH. LET OUT A DEEP EXHALE, ALONG WITH A

In order to combat the effects of

BIG SIGH OR WHOOSHING sOUND. CLOSE THE MOUTH AND

intial cold water 'shock', breathwork

SLOWLY INHALE THROUGH YOUR NOSE FOR A COUNT

will help. if you start on the shoreline

OF FOUR. HOLD YOUR BREATH FOR A COUNT OF SEVEN.

before you enter the water and

EXHALE DEEPLY UNTIL YOU HAVE EXPELLED ALL OF THE

control your breath, you will be able to

AIR FOR A COUNT OF EIGHT.

combat the urge to gasp when you take

REPEAT

a plunge. Here are our top exercises.

REPEAT

GETTING IN 1) Lay out your clothes and towel ready for when you get back out of the water, your fingers will be tOo cold to be faffing about digging through your bags when you get out. Now take ONE to two minutes to start controlling your breath before you get into the water.

4) THE EFFECTS OF THE INITIAL COLD WATER SHOCK WILL PASS AFTER one to two MINUTES. TREAD WATER AT SHOULDER HEIGHT VIGOROUSLY (TO KEEP YOU WARM) WHILST CONTROLLING YOUR BREATH. WHEN YOU have control of your breath and feel calm, you ARE READY to START TO SWIM.

2) AS YOU GET INTO THE WATER CONTINUE TO CONTROL YOUR BREATH AND WALK OUT TO SHOULDER HEIGHT. 5) wHEN YOU GET OUT OF THE WATER YOU need TO WARM UP YOUR BODY SLOWLY. The best way to do this is to stand on a towel/bag to get your feet off the ground. Sip a hot drink to warm up your core. Get your wet clothes off and pop on a warm hat.

3) SPLASH WATER ONTO YOUR FACE to acclimatise.

ADVENTURE FUEL FELL FOODIE

1) Plan the meal appropriately – When the weather is colder the last thing you want to be doing is sitting still next to your camp stove with a recipe that is better slow cooked. 2) Prepare your ingredients oiler conditions speed is preferable. 3) Only take what you need – Fresh food often weighs more than the dehydrated adventure packs, so you don’t want to be carrying up a full larder. Decant things and portion out to save on mass and space without compromising on flavour. 4) Reuse and recycle – Old hair wax pots, toiletry bottles, yoghurt pots, old camera film canisters all make great containers. 5) Consider what you are bringing back – Using heavy containers means you have to carry heavy containers down again. Pots and tubs that fit inside each other when empty will cut a lot of space in your rucksack. By pre-prepping ingredients there shouldn't be much (if any) rubbish to bring downLEAVE NO TRACE. 6) Take a sealable bag – Ziplock or an old drybag will suffice. It is good to keep contents that may leak in both, on the way up and on the return journey to save your bag.

ADVENTURE FUEL FELL FOODIE

RECIPE Ratatouille (v) (ve) Close your eyes and imagine you are in Provence soaking up the Mediterranean climate with this dish (whilst soaking in the British rain) Advanced – Finely slice two cloves of garlic and an onion, set aside. Fry cubed aubergine in a pan until brown and remove. Repeat with courgettes and peppers. Sauté the onions and garlic until softened and then add passata. Season well and add balsamic vinegar (one tbsp), sugar (one tsp), juice of half a lemon and fresh thyme. Bring to a simmer for five minutes, return the veg to the sauce for another five minutes. Tear fresh basil and stir through, then serve with a rustic chunk of bread. Beginners – Slice and chop all your veg at home and roast the courgettes, aubergines and peppers in an oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. When in the outdoors throw all the veg, garlic and onion in a pan and fry until onions are cooked. Add a jar of tomato and basil sauce and bring to a simmer. Serve.

What are Protected Areas and are they working? The U.K. has hundreds of Protected Areas (PAs) on land and at sea. As an island, it is our prerogative to protect marine life and we are fortunate to have a host of dedicated conservation organisations relentlessly campaigning for effective policy. In the year 2020, we saw substantial changes in human activity. This has

“Just as we do on land, many parts of the seafloor have essentially been con-

given wildlife a welcome break from disturbance in many areas, but how can we ensure that PAs are always being effectively managed? Is the title of ‘Protected Area’ enough? There is no one set of criteria for a PA. Each one is unique in its eco-

verted to farmland, which is now in need of significant rewilding.”

logy and the kind of key species that it seeks to protect. For example, one of the new proposed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in north-east Scotland, the 'Southern Trench', is aimed at ensuring migrating minke whales have a safe place to spend their summer months before heading north for winter, as well as maintaining its diverse seabed. The fate of this area is awaiting a decision from the Scottish government but has received an encouraging amount of public support and campaigning.

What can you do? It is indisputable that Protected Areas (PAs) have

At sea. As of 2019, 25% of U.K. waters were protected and a handful of further areas are being proposed. Many of these

made great advances in the past couple of decades

come under European legislation and we can expect some changes post-Brexit. Leaving the EU means that how we safeguard

and it is encouraging to see the government take

our waters is going to be left to us and we have an opportunity to make a significantly positive change. You may have seen in

real action in continuing to establish more areas.

the news during summer 2020 that supertrawlers have been able to operate within MPAs. This is certainly troubling and begs

However, we still have a long way to go.

the question of what kind of management laws are in place. According to Greenpeace, supertrawlers have been operating for

The success of most PAs significantly

over double the amount of time they were in 2019, thousands of hours’ worth, and none of them are U.K. owned.

depends on public support and campaigning.

Supertrawling causes detrimental damage to the seafloor and also poses significant threat to all marine mammals. In the U.K.

Marine Conservation Society, The Wildlife Trust,

alone, we have been seeing more than 1,000 porpoises die due to entanglement each year. It is incredibly important that

Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Greenpeace, and

supertrawling, as well as over-fishing, is tightly controlled. Both these activities seldom allow for species and habitats to recover

RSPB are just some of the leading organisations in

and remain balanced. The implications of lockdown have been widespread for all kinds of conservation. Marine wildlife

the U.K. working to hold our government

received an advantage when less activity, and therefore disturbance, occurred around the U.K. Demands in fishing have altered

accountable and encourage public awareness.

and general economic activity has been remoulded in 2020. PAs can be an important tool for developing sustainable fishing. If

Petitions are a fundamental way to show public

species are given more areas to recover and increase, then this can spill out into areas that are well fished, thus maintaining

support and contacting your local MP to back PAs

numbers.

is also an important step we can all take. Robust data and surveying have been

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has campaigned tirelessly for MPAs to be established and enforced. However, it is

the driving force for finding out exactly what

not just fishing activity that can disturb PAs. MCS argues that offshore development, recreational activity, and sewage

should be protected and where. This ranges from

discharge are some of the other threats that require stricter management. Just as we do on land, many parts of the seafloor

cetacean shore watch surveys in Scotland to

have essentially been converted to farmland, which is now in need of significant rewilding. Intensive fishing and dredging

butterfly counting in England’s woodlands.

practices have occurred for generations, which has altered the underwater landscape in ways we might not yet know. MCS

Volunteers from across the country can get

supports the policy that no activities should be allowed within or near MPAs and that a high level of caution must always be

involved with their local organisation or council to

taken when making decisions.

help further develop and monitor PAs. The more we know about what species need in order to

On land. Terrestrial PAs are arguably easier to control. There are various levels of protection including National Park status

recover from decades of rigorous human

or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but there are also Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Areas (for birds),

disturbance, the better and more specific we can be

Ramsar Wetland Sites, and Special Areas of Conservation. Quite a complex web of status and protection, these can

on creating policy.

be designated by local councils or organisations such as Natural England. All these titles help us to identify hotspots for

PAs are certainly a useful conservation

biodiversity or a particular species or habitat. They can also be designated for cultural reasons to maintain the connection

tool but not necessarily the final solution. They

people have with a particular landscape. Once these designations are in place, we can begin identifying how best to manage and

provide opportunity for key species and

protect them. For example, this may include fencing off areas from public access and establishing better relationships

habitats to be identified and facilitate discussion

with farmers and landowners. Once again though, these measures are not always legally enforced and increasing public

on their management. For this to be truly

awareness, education, and volunteer manpower would be a huge advantage. As with the unfortunate supertrawler news, we

effective, it must become more legally binding

have also seen on-land development threaten important areas. One example is the HS2 development through nature reserves

and properly managed.

and ancient woodland. Translocation projects for plant species in these habitats could be effective in ensuring some species survive, independently of the valuable ecosystem they lived in, but how can we ensure future nature reserves won’t also lose

MARINE PROTECTED ARE AS B Y

T A

out to human development? What makes a successful Protected Area? All PAs should come together to represent a whole range of species and habitats. Everything from basking sharks and sea kelp to ancient alder trees can come under protection from these legislations.

In 2009, the government created the Marine and Coastal Access Act, which has been fulfilled through three phases of establishing Marine Conservation Zones. This is a huge win that allows more PAs to join up and hopefully create a so-called ‘blue belt’ of protection. To be truly effective, we need all PAs to be larger, closer together, more numerous, and actively managed. Terrestrial PAs have generally been quite small and under-representative, so it is important we continue to campaign equally for both land and sea protection. WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

“Just as we do on land, many parts of the seafloor have essentially been con-

verted to farmland, which is now in need of significant rewilding.”

What can you do? It is indisputable that Protected Areas (PAs) have

At sea. As of 2019, 25% of U.K. waters were protected and a handful of further areas are being proposed. Many of these

made great advances in the past couple of decades

come under European legislation and we can expect some changes post-Brexit. Leaving the EU means that how we safeguard

and it is encouraging to see the government take

our waters is going to be left to us and we have an opportunity to make a significantly positive change. You may have seen in

real action in continuing to establish more areas.

the news during summer 2020 that supertrawlers have been able to operate within MPAs. This is certainly troubling and begs

However, we still have a long way to go.

the question of what kind of management laws are in place. According to Greenpeace, supertrawlers have been operating for

The success of most PAs significantly

over double the amount of time they were in 2019, thousands of hours’ worth, and none of them are U.K. owned.

depends on public support and campaigning.

Supertrawling causes detrimental damage to the seafloor and also poses significant threat to all marine mammals. In the U.K.

Marine Conservation Society, The Wildlife Trust,

alone, we have been seeing more than 1,000 porpoises die due to entanglement each year. It is incredibly important that

Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Greenpeace, and

supertrawling, as well as over-fishing, is tightly controlled. Both these activities seldom allow for species and habitats to recover

RSPB are just some of the leading organisations in

and remain balanced. The implications of lockdown have been widespread for all kinds of conservation. Marine wildlife

the U.K. working to hold our government

received an advantage when less activity, and therefore disturbance, occurred around the U.K. Demands in fishing have altered

accountable and encourage public awareness.

and general economic activity has been remoulded in 2020. PAs can be an important tool for developing sustainable fishing. If

Petitions are a fundamental way to show public

species are given more areas to recover and increase, then this can spill out into areas that are well fished, thus maintaining

support and contacting your local MP to back PAs

numbers.

is also an important step we can all take. Robust data and surveying have been

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has campaigned tirelessly for MPAs to be established and enforced. However, it is

the driving force for finding out exactly what

not just fishing activity that can disturb PAs. MCS argues that offshore development, recreational activity, and sewage

should be protected and where. This ranges from

discharge are some of the other threats that require stricter management. Just as we do on land, many parts of the seafloor

cetacean shore watch surveys in Scotland to

have essentially been converted to farmland, which is now in need of significant rewilding. Intensive fishing and dredging

butterfly counting in England’s woodlands.

practices have occurred for generations, which has altered the underwater landscape in ways we might not yet know. MCS

Volunteers from across the country can get

supports the policy that no activities should be allowed within or near MPAs and that a high level of caution must always be

involved with their local organisation or council to

taken when making decisions.

help further develop and monitor PAs. The more we know about what species need in order to

On land. Terrestrial PAs are arguably easier to control. There are various levels of protection including National Park status

recover from decades of rigorous human

or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but there are also Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Areas (for birds),

disturbance, the better and more specific we can be

Ramsar Wetland Sites, and Special Areas of Conservation. Quite a complex web of status and protection, these can

on creating policy.

be designated by local councils or organisations such as Natural England. All these titles help us to identify hotspots for

PAs are certainly a useful conservation

biodiversity or a particular species or habitat. They can also be designated for cultural reasons to maintain the connection

tool but not necessarily the final solution. They

people have with a particular landscape. Once these designations are in place, we can begin identifying how best to manage and

provide opportunity for key species and

protect them. For example, this may include fencing off areas from public access and establishing better relationships

habitats to be identified and facilitate discussion

with farmers and landowners. Once again though, these measures are not always legally enforced and increasing public

on their management. For this to be truly

awareness, education, and volunteer manpower would be a huge advantage. As with the unfortunate supertrawler news, we

effective, it must become more legally binding

have also seen on-land development threaten important areas. One example is the HS2 development through nature reserves

and properly managed.

MARINE PROTECTED ARE AS B Y

T A

IN TER VI E W W I T H C LI F F K A P O NO BY RO S A L E A K E N M OR E

1. W HAT I S M EG A LAB? T he m ult i-sca le e nvir o nme nt a l g r a p hica l a na lys is o r ME GA la b is l ike the misf its of t h e s c ie n ce wo r ld . W e a r e su r fe r s, ska te r s , w a yfind e r s, a nd a r tist s who a ll l o ve a d ve nt ur e a s m u c h a s s c i e nce . T he la b is a sa f e p la ce w h e r e we c a n u se te c hn o lo g y to e nsur e o u r fa vo r ite p la c e s wil l b e p r o t e cte d f o r fu tur e g e ne r a t io ns.

2 . WHEN RAI SI NG AW ARENESS OF CONSERVATI ON I SSUES, HOW I M PORTANT I S UN CO N VE N-

TI ONAL ACTI VI SM I N G ETTI NG PEOPLE’S ATTENTI ON?

I fe e l tha t co nse r va tio n is a p a r t o f e ve r y a s p e ct o f so c ie ty t o d a y . It d o e sn't ma t t e r if y ou a r e a p r o f e ssio na l r o ck c limb e r in Ut a h o r a b a nk te lle r in N e w Je r se y . We a ll at s om e p oin t d e p e nd o n c o nse r ving o ur na t ur a l r e so ur c e s. T he mo r e w e ca n e le va te t ha t co nve rs a t ion in a ll a sp e cts o f so cie ty, the b e tte r cha nce we will ha ve a t co ming to g e the r fo r o ur p la n e t .

3 . W HY I S CORAL REEF CONSERVATI ON I M PORTANT TO YOU?

" GE T T I N G OU T I N T HE WATER IS THE F IR ST STE P . HO W C A N Y OU P R OTE C T WHAT YO U DO N'T KNO W?" Cliff Kapono is a professional surfer, chemist and journalist. Born on the eastern shores of Hawai'i, his life involves equal parts science and surf.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

C o r a l r e e f co nse r va tio n is imp o r ta nt to me fo r ma ny r e a so ns, b ut p r o b a b ly its c u lt u ra l s ig nifica nce is wha t d r ive s me the mo st. A s H a wa iia n p e o p le we ha ve d ir e ct fa milia l t ie s t o t h e a nima ls o n the r e e f includ ing the co r a ls the mse lve s. Using sur fing a nd scie nce to e le v a t e t h e imp o r ta nce o f the ir p r o te ctio n g ive s me a se nse o f p ur p o se in life .

4. HOW I M PORTANT I S I NDI G ENOUS KNOW LEDG E W HEN I T COM ES TO PROTECTI N G T H E N AT-

URAL ENVI RONM ENT?

Ind ig e no us kno wle d g e is a vita l r e so ur ce tha t ca n b e use d to b e tte r und e r sta nd e n v iron m e n ta l ma na g e me nt. It is a lso imp o r ta nt tha t we r e sp e ct the Ind ig e no us kno wle d g e s y s t e m s t h a t the se r e so ur ce s co me fr o m a nd b e ca r e ful no t to e xp lo it the m. I b e lie ve tha t th e re m u s t b e r e cip r o city a lo ng sid e co lla b o r a tio n. I a m no t sur e wha t the va lue o f the se Ind ig en ou s k n owl e d g e s a r e , b ut if la r g e p a r ts o f so cie ty wa nt to e ng a g e with Ind ig e no us kno wle d ge s y s t e m s the n p e r ha p s the r e ne e d s to b e e co no mic o r so cia l stud ie s to co me up with wa ys t o h e lp s u p p o r t the co mmunitie s tha t ha ve ke p t the se p e r sp e ctive s inta ct fo r tho usa nd s o f y e a rs .

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

IN TER VI E W W I T H C LI F F K A P O NO BY RO S A L E A K E N M OR E

1. W HAT I S M EG A LAB? T he m ult i-sca le e nvir o nme nt a l g r a p hica l a na lys is o r ME GA la b is l ike the misf its o f t h e s c ie n ce wo r ld . W e a r e su r fe r s, ska te r s , w a yfind e r s, a nd a r tist s who a ll l o ve a d ve nt ur e a s m u c h a s s c i e nce . T he la b is a sa f e p la ce w h e r e we c a n u se te c hn o lo g y to e nsur e o u r fa vo r ite p la c e s wil l b e p r o t e cte d f o r fu tur e g e ne r a t io ns.

2 . WHEN RAI SI NG AW ARENESS OF CONSERVATI ON I SSUES, HOW I M PORTANT I S UN CO N VE N-

TI ONAL ACTI VI SM I N G ETTI NG PEOPLE’S ATTENTI ON?

I fe e l tha t co nse r va tio n is a p a r t o f e ve r y a s p e ct o f so c ie ty t o d a y . It d o e sn't ma t t e r if y ou a r e a p r o f e ssio na l r o ck c limb e r in Ut a h o r a b a nk te lle r in N e w Je r se y . We a ll at s om e p oin t d e p e nd o n c o nse r ving o ur na t ur a l r e so ur c e s. T he mo r e w e ca n e le va te t ha t co nvers a t ion in a ll a sp e cts o f so cie ty, the b e tte r cha nce we will ha ve a t co ming to g e the r fo r o ur p la n e t .

3 . W HY I S CORAL REEF CONSERVATI ON I M PORTANT TO YOU?

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

4. HOW I M PORTANT I S I NDI G ENOUS KNOW LEDG E W HEN I T COM ES TO PROTECTI N G T H E N AT-

URAL ENVI RONM ENT?

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

We need you. Our national and now global team of volunteer Waterloggers are the eyes and ears on the ground. Jump in and get swimming with us as we gather virtually as a collective to look after our local patch of wild water, from seas, tarns, lochs and dipping spots to collate data globally. We recently collectively completed the largest microplastic water sampling campaign with 250 volunteers across the U.K., which have now been tested at Bangor University. With COVID hammering us both on expeditions and in the labs, we’ve had a few hold ups, but we are now finalising the results and creating our MP letter templates for you to send out to those in power.

#forthewatergods

We now want to expand on this research by further monitoring of our waterways. In February we launch our global water biodiversity study and trash analysis. We are equipping 30 Waterloggers with citizen science microplastic testing kits. Once a month, you can test the waters live for microplastic pollution, water quality and collate the data so we can better understand our waterways, including who lives there and what's polluting it! If you would like to sign up for your region, contact us to attend our online training sessions and sign up via our website using the form. #Forthewatergods Campaign

WATERLOGGERS Let's work together to protect what we love

JUMP IN AND JOIN US Visit www.weswimwild.com to learn how.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

Get started with our latest citizen science project to find out who lives in and around your waterway. To get weight behind our microplastic results, we need to know who and what could potentially be affected by these silent contaminants. To get you started just fill in our Waterlogger request form on our website. Head to weswimwild.com or follow our Instagram to complete the form. Download our activist DIY kit and get yourself kitted up. Head to your nearest swim spot and start completing the biodiversity card and the trash template. We want to better understand who lives in and around your waterway. You can do this by sitting quietly prior to your swim, doing a little scout around and completing the card. Just take a screenshot of the card and fill it in, and email it over or tag us on Instagram stories with @weswimwild. WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

#forthewatergods

WATERLOGGERS Let's work together to protect what we love

JUMP IN AND JOIN US Visit www.weswimwild.com to learn how.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

WE SWIM WILD AMBASSADORS JUMP IN & JOIN US We are searching for 30 ambassadors (you can be a group or an individual) who want to protect what they love through an intensive study of their waterway. Before you sign up, we are looking for individuals who: Can commit to an intensive study once a month for a year. You will need to set up a wildlife camera, take and filter your own microplastic water samples at home, process and count the microplastics, and complete our audit cards. Can be flexible. We are a small, dynamic organisation, with a positive outlook and a very glasshalf-full team. Has enthusiasm in bucketloads. In return, we will equip you with a Waterlogger kit with everything you need to get started with your own mini lab, online training, and support throughout the programme in order to get the best results.

#forthewatergods

This is a very exciting project. If it works, it will set the precedent for us to roll out a citizen science programme of microplastic studies globally. We hope to collectively use this data to lobby the U.K. government to change the legislation around unnecessary plastic packaging, single use, and the way we produce fast fashion items. All of these are intrinsically linked to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. We are working closely with Dr Christian Dunn and Bangor University as well as Dr Sarah-Jeanne Royer, who is doing a postdoctorate study on plastic and microfibre degradation at Scripps Institute of Oceanography with Dr Dimitri Deheyn. The Waterlogger science kits are supported by Mermaid Gin at the Isle of Wight Distillery.

This study will involve inland waterways. You can take part in this study if you are on an estuary, river, lake or you are willing to study an estuary/inland waterway. Our focus for this project is on water before it reaches the open ocean. This will allow us to focus on the degradation, volume, types of microplastics, and where they originate from. The biodiversity study will allow us to identify creatures, work togetherpollution. to protect what we love flora and fauna who may well Let's be affected by microplastic

WATERLOGGERS To apply head to www.weswimwild.com

JUMP IN AND JOIN US Visit www.weswimwild.com to learn how.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

#forthewatergods

WATERLOGGERS To apply head to www.weswimwild.com

JUMP IN AND JOIN US Visit www.weswimwild.com to learn how.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

ADVENTURE ACTIVIST DIY KIT

sten head to weswimwild.com

cil o

n to

your

old k

cut the stencil using a pen knife We don't have a big budget or slick PR, everything we have gets poured straight back into grassroots research. We realised that we don't need to wait until we get enough cash to get citizen science kits. We can make our own. If you want to kit yourself out as part of the We Swim Wild movement, all you need to do is download the template from our website in the Waterloggers section. Cut it out, stencil it onto an existing hoody, bag, or even better, when you have completed your biodiversity card, why not use the nearby mud and water to stencil your presence onto a rock, to let water users know this place has been sampled. Send us your best pictures! or mix up a little mud/ sand with water on your swim and let people know you've tested your river.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

download our biodiversity and trash audit cards and get out there!

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

it!

ADVENTURE ACTIVIST DIY KIT

sten head to weswimwild.com

cil o

n to

your

old k

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

download our biodiversity and trash audit cards and get out there!

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

it!

#REFILL FOR GOOD One of the easiest swaps you can make is to ditch the single use basics. The water bottle is the simplest swap to make. Not only is it a financially long-term benefit to you, but bottled water can also be up to 2,000 times more expensive than drinking water from the tap. You can fill up with tap water at home and in other refillable places, in cafés on the go, and cumulatively it will make a difference to your bank balance and the planet. There are only so many limited times plastic can be recycled. Unlike aluminium it has a limited lifespan. That is if it even makes it into the recycle bin. All you need is one decent bottle to last you for life. Add in a food container or use a jar, and you are good to go. Hydro Flask are our favourite brand. Not only are they made to endure, but they are also a company with good environmental ethics. They support our work in wild waters, and in 2022 they are supporting us to get more marginalised groups into wild waters in National Parks. Look out for updates on this in our next issue. You can watch our latest #refillforgood campaign with Hydro Flask, where Laura was filmed in the Teifi pools talking about the foundations behind We Swim Wild. © Friction Collective

WE SWIM WILD X HYDRO FLASK Three ways to make changes for good: • Make the switch to a reusable water bottle. • Ditch the clamshell containers. • Stand up against single-use straws.

Single-use plastic bottles are the third largest ocean trash item. Buying bottled water can be up to 2,000 times more expensive than drinking water from the tap.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

WE SWIM WILD X HYDRO FLASK Three ways to make changes for good: • Make the switch to a reusable water bottle. • Ditch the clamshell containers. • Stand up against single-use straws.

Single-use plastic bottles are the third largest ocean trash item. Buying bottled water can be up to 2,000 times more expensive than drinking water from the tap.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

AS WARMING OCEANS AND BIODIVERSITY LOSS THREATEN THE LIFE IN OUR SEAS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MONITOR INVASIVE SPECIES

TACKLING INVASIVE OYSTERS AND REWILDING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

Invasive species are one of the leading threats to global biodiversity. As globalisation has increased, various plant and animal species have found themselves on the other side of the world from their natural, native environment. Some of these may have spread purely by accident, however some have been intentionally introduced to new places with a lack of understanding of the impact this would later have on biodiversity. The U.K. has several significant invasive species and one of our more curious cases is that of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas). Believed to have travelled over to Europe from Japan’s Pacific coast in the 1800s, there have been small numbers of this species in the U.K. since 1926. They were then commercially introduced to U.K. waters in the 1960s as our native species were in low stock due to overfishing. The spread of this species was believed to be controlled by our naturally cold waters. As we all know too well, the impacts of climate change over recent decades have been unprecedented and our waters have been warmer than expected. This warming has caused a boom in wild Pacific oyster growth to levels that are significantly difficult to control, particularly on England’s southwest coast.

as soon as a high quantity is in demand, we may risk damaging other shore life in their extraction. The Helford estuary is a Special Area of Conservation, which requires a higher degree of care in ensuring no natural features are being destroyed through any Pacific oyster management methods. This seems to stand out as the main challenge

Rewilding the marine environment A topic that is often under-discussed is the rewilding of the marine environment. The term rewilding simply means to restore natural land to its former, uncultivated glory, where native wildlife and biodiversity can thrive. The conversation around this concept has largely been led by terrestrial conservation. Expanding woodlands, reintroducing native species like the beaver, and restoring wetlands are a few examples of current rewilding methods that help us manage our overgrazed and overdeveloped landscape. However, what does this mean for our oceans? Dramatic changes in biodiversity may be less obvious and more challenging to map out underwater. It is clear to conservationists and the public when we lose a woodland for agriculture or development, but how can we illustrate what we are also losing underwater and out of the public’s eye? Planting seagrass, controlling overfishing, and stopping supertrawlers are some of the ways we can ensure the marine environment maintains its native wildness. Protected Areas are certainly a step in the right direction for Conservation Group, emphasizes that the impact of Pacific oysters is

In the wild, Pacific oysters are stubborn creatures, significantly outcompeting native species and reducing the overall biodiversity of the intertidal environment. They grow much larger than our native ones (up to 30cm in length) and are thicker, rougher, and curvier in shape. They latch themselves, with impressive strength, onto any rock or surface along shorelines. Their physical nature makes them particularly hazardous to those who wander seashores either by foot or kayak and paddleboard as they reef in huge numbers creating a carpet of dense, jagged edges.

not to be taken lightly. This silent spreader is just as significant as some terrestrial invasive species such as Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica)—a non-native plant that can grow 10cm a day and break through concrete, significantly out-competing native plants and a real nightmare for many homeowners. It would be great to see more projects highlighting this issue bring the seafloor to the same level of importance as our woodlands and farmlands. The bottom line Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s 2019 review highlights Pacific oysters as a growing threat, even within just the last five years. The build-up of reefs

Are there any long-term solutions? Pacific oysters are farmed widely across the U.K. and provide most of the oysters we commonly eat. So why can’t we also consume these rogue wanderers? Wild invasive escapees would have to go through a rigorous purification process as oysters filter feed all the pollution in our waters. Currently, there is no large-scale commercial set up for this and their difficult removal also poses a substantial commercial challenge. Towards the estuary of the Helford River, the Helford Marine Conservation Group has been able to gather Pacific oysters and work with the local shellfishery to have them purified and sold. There is certainly a demand in cuisine for these oysters. However, their wild and rugged appearance presents limitations in terms of the romanticised

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

composting them for soil conditioning could also prove useful, however,

this to happen. Sue Scott, the co-ordinator for the Helford Marine

What makes these oysters so threatening?

development. Grinding the oysters down and creating a building material may be a creative solution. Alternatively, experimentation with

and volunteers should ensure they are as careful as possible.

Invasive Pacific oysters

BY EMMA STALLWORTHY

There are two other viable commercial possibilities that need further

aesthetic of an oyster (perhaps we need a wonky oyster revolution).

also threatens the ability of birds and fish to forage in these areas. The problem we are currently facing with all invasive species forces us to take more responsibility for our actions now. We simply cannot afford to be naïve about what may happen in the next five, 10, or 100 years. I am so encouraged and inspired to see community groups across the country take on all these challenges. The Scottish Invasive Species Initiative (SISI) has worked extremely hard to tackle a range of terrestrial invasive species across Scotland and raise public awareness. There are many other groups that have been rallying volunteers and I would urge anyone to get involved in their local area and learn more about our native biodiversity. Wild Pacific oysters cannot continue to go unnoticed. I’d like to give a huge thank you to Falmouth Marine Conservation, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Natural England, and the Helford Marine Conservation Group.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

AS WARMING OCEANS AND BIODIVERSITY LOSS THREATEN THE LIFE IN OUR SEAS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MONITOR INVASIVE SPECIES

TACKLING INVASIVE OYSTERS AND REWILDING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

composting them for soil conditioning could also prove useful, however,

this to happen. Sue Scott, the co-ordinator for the Helford Marine

What makes these oysters so threatening?

development. Grinding the oysters down and creating a building material may be a creative solution. Alternatively, experimentation with

and volunteers should ensure they are as careful as possible.

Invasive Pacific oysters

BY EMMA STALLWORTHY

There are two other viable commercial possibilities that need further

aesthetic of an oyster (perhaps we need a wonky oyster revolution).

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

SWIMMER'S GUIDE TO INVASIVE SPECIES

1. INSPECT YOUR KIT AT THE WATER SOURCE Check your wetsuit/swimming costume boots and gloves for live organisms, plants, weeds etc. Remove these at the water source. If you have collected water in your boots/gloves etc. tip these back out into the same body of water. Make sure you also check your hair/skin etc.

2. CLEAN & WASH ALL EQUIPMENT Clean and wash all swimsuits, wetsuits, hats, goggles, footwear, gloves etc. If you are on a multi-dip day in different bodies of water then we take several kits to wear so we can wash them later at home. If you do not have this luxury then you must take a tote bucket and wash your kit throughly in the new body of water using a bucket or tote. We sometimes fill a tote with the new water and rinse our kit in this several times well away from the water source (so it doesn’t run back into the water). This is laborious (and only in adverse situations), it is much easer to take several sets of kit.

3. DRY ALL EQUIPMENT & CLOTHIING Dry all kit throughly with dry, clean towels. Some species can live for several days in moist, damp conditions. After we have throughly rinsed all kit we then wipe down the kit thoroughly with a dry towel and leave to air dry. If you use damp kit it is likely that larvae or spores are still live and ready to be transmitted.

Chemicals As we swim throughout the U.K. as part of our Source To Sea project we think it is important to explain how we mitigate the spread of wild flora/fauna and creatures through meticulous cleaning and drying of kit. In the U.K. we have serious problems with creatures and plants that have been introduced by human activities and actions outside their natural range and these are known as non-native species. “A few species can cause serious and permanent problems by harming ecosystems. They can be bigger, faster growing or more aggressive than native species, and may also have fewer natural predators to control their numbers. As a result, native species are often unable to compete and the non-native species are able to take over. These species are called invasive non-native species. Freshwater invasive non-native species are non-native plants and animals that have been introduced into GB freshwaters.” -Defra

Why are non-native species a problem? Non-native species can change whole ecosystems. They compete with native species spreading disease, altering the ecology and physically clogging waterways. This in turn reduces the populations of fish and wildlife, invasive species often clog and restrict navigation through waterways and affect the quality of our rivers. Spores, weed and larvae/eggs often invisible to the naked eye can easily be transported from one water body to the next. It is imperative that if you are swimming from one water source to the next you carry out the following steps.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

You must be mindful of wearing any chemicals in the water. Deodorants, perfumes and make up all have harsh chemicals that can affect the ecology of a waterway. Ensure you use ecofriendly sun cream and go swimming with a bare face and no chemicals/moisturisers.

INVASIVE FRESHWATER SPECIES IN THE U.K. There are numerous invasive species in the U.K. As we are swimming through freshwater in our Source To Sea challenge we have decided to list some of the main freshwater culprits from the WWT website and Defra.

New Zealand pygmyweed (Crassula helmsii)

Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha )

Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)

Killer shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus )

American skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)

Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus )

Floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides)

Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis )

Water primrose (Ludwigia grandiflora)

Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea )

Water fern (Azolla filiculoides)

If you think that you have seen one of these species you can get guidance on where to send a record on the GB Non-native Species Information Portal.

Parrot's-feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

SWIMMER'S GUIDE TO INVASIVE SPECIES

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

New Zealand pygmyweed (Crassula helmsii)

Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha )

Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)

Killer shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus )

American skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)

Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus )

Floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides)

Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis )

Water primrose (Ludwigia grandiflora)

Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea )

Water fern (Azolla filiculoides)

If you think that you have seen one of these species you can get guidance on where to send a record on the GB Non-native Species Information Portal.

Parrot's-feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

As BIPOC, have you faced any obstacles in your career progression?

DIVERSIFYING THE OUTDOORS

Yes, every day. I often find it hard to just exist and be me. I am never just a student or a staff member. For some reason, I always have to ensure that I am being the best possible representation, in every room I am in. I am always expected to help with Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives. As minorities, it is sometimes difficult for us to just exist, without having to be an advocate as well, which I sometimes get the feeling is not the case for everyone. Or not being taken seriously, especially by older faculty members. This might be because of my age or gender but it's still frustrating when someone asks me a question, I provide How did you get started in the outdoor industry? My name is Rose Santana, I was born in the Dominican Republic and I currently work at Florida International University as a research analyst. I study the effects of metal contamination on fish behaviour. Primarily I got into this field by complete accident. I was taking a class on professional development in environmental science and one of the class instructors needed an assis-

an answer and they turn to the (usually white and/or male) person sitting next to me and ask them that same question, only to receive the same answer. Is there anything that could have better prepared you for working within the outdoor industry? I don't really think there is anything that could have prepared me for it, but I do think I could have used

tant. It wasn't what I originally intended

some guidance. For me, it was a journey, I

or wanted to do, but I ended up beco-

messed up every step of the way, made mis-

ming inspired by it and found it so interesting that I stayed long after she left. What are you proud of? I'm most proud of being able to be a voice for minorities in the sciences

takes, and had to learn from them. Even sim-

ROSE SANTANA

BY MOLLY CANTRELL

and outdoor field. Sure, I've gotten to do

ple things like how to get experience, how to approach people about working with them, public speaking, how to write applications and get funding. Nobody taught me how to do these things so I learned them on my own. Maybe having some sort of guidance on how to best exist in this field would have

many cool things like going on a 21-day

spared me many headaches.

Arctic research expedition and various fieldwork, but at the end of the day, I'm just happy I can show up and represent. It's always heartwarming when I hear kids tell me that they didn't think this was a career option for them because they never saw themselves represented before.

What do you want people to know about you? I am by no means perfect and I am still figuring out my life and career/educational moves, one step at a time. And if I can do it, so can you.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

As BIPOC, have you faced any obstacles in your career progression?

DIVERSIFYING THE OUTDOORS

tant. It wasn't what I originally intended

some guidance. For me, it was a journey, I

or wanted to do, but I ended up beco-

messed up every step of the way, made mis-

ming inspired by it and found it so interesting that I stayed long after she left. What are you proud of? I'm most proud of being able to be a voice for minorities in the sciences

takes, and had to learn from them. Even sim-

ROSE SANTANA

BY MOLLY CANTRELL

and outdoor field. Sure, I've gotten to do

many cool things like going on a 21-day

spared me many headaches.

What do you want people to know about you? I am by no means perfect and I am still figuring out my life and career/educational moves, one step at a time. And if I can do it, so can you.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

GOING TO MY FIRST PROTEST BY CAROLINE PRYER @RECYLCING_REBEL

make changes. I had never attended a full-scale protest before but in the run up to COP26, I wanted to do something to show my support. After doing some research and speaking to a few close friends, I decided to join an Animal Rebellion protest march in London (part of Extinction Rebellion). I was slightly hesitant and nervous as I did not know what to expect but I made a cardboard banner saying LOVE, RAGE, REBEL and joined the march on 28th August. The day was filled with music, inspiring speeches, and I felt like I was part of a bigger cause. So many people had made banners and costumes that showed their support for animals and planet Earth. With thousands of people coming together, we marched from Smithfield meat market to the headquarters of Unilever,

#UPRISING

Cargill, and The Marine Stewardship Council. I learnt a lot about myself and why I want to be part of the change. Going to my first protest has reignited my passion to prevent climate change. A few friends asked why I was taking part so I explained why I feel it’s important to come together and show big companies and the U.K. government that we will not sit quietly. The right to march and protest for what you believe in is currently under threat due to the latest rumblings tatur magnim hil is eum destioriatem dunt pra nonem quas After 2020, I thought (and hoped) that 2021 would be less turbulent. Sadly, this has not been the case. I can personally say that anxiety around COVID and climate change has become a constant worry. Whilst many countries were in lockdown last year, scientists watched as pollution levels reduced and nature took back some control. After allowing nature to reclaim what is rightly its space, 2021 was seen as a key moment in time for world leaders to agree how we can slow the effects of climate change. Thanks to organisations such as Extinction Rebellion, and experts such as Chris Packham and George Monbiot who use

in Parliament. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill could see our right to protest peacefully taken away from us. Without people coming together and protesting for what we believe in, we will not be able to express our opinions. We cannot allow our government to take this right away from us. Without people making their voices heard, life now could be quite different. For example, the Suffragettes made sure that women had the right to vote. Without being allowed to voice our opinions and put pressure on big companies, how are we ever going to encourage change and slow climate change. For things to change and to protect planet Earth, we must come together.

their voices to speak out, climate change and the threat to our planet is gaining more media coverage. Watching nature documentaries by experts such as Sir David Attenborough and reading

REFL ECTING O N CO P2 6: PROS WHAT WERE THE KEY O UTCO M ES?

Green finance for the net zero economy. $130 trillion towards net zero. Climate risk disclosure for companies, greater clima-te transparency in the private sector.

books such as The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells were initially interesting but now I think about them and feel worried. 2021 saw COP26 being held in Glasgow, a significant opportunity for our government and world leaders to agree how we can slow climate change. As someone who does not have a

COP26 has been hailed as the most important Conference of the Parties (COP) since COP21, which produced the Paris Agreement.

degree in political or environmental studies, I was hopeful that COP26 would be a turning point. Rather than travelling to Glasgow, I decided to do something that was closer to home. I have been following Extinction Rebellion for a couple of years, and I have read their handbook.

Although the conference was unsatisfactory in delivering the action and commitments needed to reach the targets from

Failure to meet 1.5°C target, not securing $100 billion

the Paris Agreement, COP26 has raised the global ambition on

climate finance, the U.K. COP26 presidency failed to meet its

climate action.

own target to “consign coal to history”.

You might not agree with their tactics, but I do agree with the

Let’s take a look at some of the successes and shortcomings

urgency of raising awareness and trying to mobilise people to

from the conference.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

CONS

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

GOING TO MY FIRST PROTEST BY CAROLINE PRYER @RECYLCING_REBEL

#UPRISING

their voices to speak out, climate change and the threat to our planet is gaining more media coverage. Watching nature documentaries by experts such as Sir David Attenborough and reading

REFL ECTING O N CO P2 6: PROS WHAT WERE THE KEY O UTCO M ES?

Green finance for the net zero economy. $130 trillion towards net zero. Climate risk disclosure for companies, greater clima-te transparency in the private sector.

COP26 has been hailed as the most important Conference of the Parties (COP) since COP21, which produced the Paris Agreement.

Although the conference was unsatisfactory in delivering the action and commitments needed to reach the targets from

Failure to meet 1.5°C target, not securing $100 billion

the Paris Agreement, COP26 has raised the global ambition on

climate finance, the U.K. COP26 presidency failed to meet its

climate action.

own target to “consign coal to history”.

You might not agree with their tactics, but I do agree with the

Let’s take a look at some of the successes and shortcomings

urgency of raising awareness and trying to mobilise people to

from the conference.

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

CONS

WE SWIM WILD • ADVENTURE ACTIVISM

Rewilding the Mind In the west of the U.K., for example in Cornwall, the west

bringing nature in. Houseplants, especially succulents, require

coast of Wales, and western Scotland, nature often shows us

very little maintenance but purify the air, absorb pollutants, and

what Britain should truly be like. From an ecological perspective,

can bring some of the mental health benefits of forest bathing

these areas should be covered in temperate rainforest. Exploring

into your living room. Dr. Li also suggests methods such as the use

these regions, you can still come across primeval scenes filled

of bowls of bark and pinecones and burning or diffusing essen-

with gnarled trees, granite boulders, a plethora of mosses, and

tial oils. However you decide to bring the woodlands into your

crystal clear, gushing streams dotted with mini waterfalls. Here,

home, the well-being and health benefits will be brought with it.

you can lose yourself in the past.

Words & photography by George Steedman Jones

HO W G I VI NG B R I T A I N B A C K TO NATUR E C A N H A V E A P OS I TIV E IMPA CT O N M E N T A L H E A LT H

almost completely inaccessible. There is a huge amount of evidence that tells us nature is good for our mental health. Dr. Qing Li, a pioneering researcher of the Japanese art and science of Shinrin-Yoku, or forest bathing, and his colleagues discovered that spending time in nature: • Decreased the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. • Lowered feelings of anxiety, depression, and workrelated stress.

BY GEO RG E STE E D M A N J O N E S

• Contributed to longer, more peaceful sleep. • Enhanced the parasympathetic nervous system (our “rest

So, what’s the connection between our seemingly endless

These landscapes show us that the neatly mown pastures,

destruction of Britain’s biodiversity and the work of forest the-

micro-managed hedgerows and acres upon acres of monocul-

rapy researchers like Dr. Li? Well, it’s simple, really. Without

ture crop that we associate with “the great British countryside”

nature in our immediate vicinity, we can survive, but we

are actually the opposite of what we should naturally have here.

cannot thrive. Without rewilding, reforesting, reviving, and

This is where the link to mental health comes in. Without nature,

revitalising our land, without renewing our connection to

we can’t encourage or “prescribe” time in nature. Without bio-

nature, we will seriously struggle as a species. Connecting

diversity, the mental health benefits disappear. But when land

with green space has conclusively been shown to have a

is handed back to nature, when biodiversity is allowed to run

hugely positive impact on our mental well-being; and while

wild, amazing things happen.

we continue to fight two pandemics—COVID and mental

However, not everyone can get to a garden, park, riverside or woodland. There is still a huge issue with access to the nature we do have left. In the U.K., 2.6 million people still don’t

den, and in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) communities, that number rises to two in five. If you’re reading this, and you take your morning run in

sweet melodies of blackbirds, thrushes, the soft cooing of wood

In his 2019 book Into the Forest, Dr. Li recommends two

tower block. If you’re sitting at your desk daydreaming about your

pigeons and occasionally, the chattering screech of a jay. Then my

hours per day in nature. But many people in the U.K. don’t have

ears tune into the real sounds. The busy roads running in front of

that time. Our working week is designed to make us work as

and behind my house, the jackhammer and electric drill, the petrol

hard as possible, for as long as possible. So if there aren’t two

lawnmower, and the frustrated driver smashing a fist into a horn.

hours in your day, even a small amount of nature exposure, like

I may have access to a beautiful, wild garden, but it doesn’t take

cycling to work through the park or opening the window to let

much to remind me of the harsh realities; the U.K. is one of the most

in birdsong, can be hugely beneficial to your mental well-being.

nature-depleted countries on Earth, with millions of people crammed

There are still so many places where we just don’t get true

into urban spaces. Our lack of truly natural spaces (there are very

nature exposure. The parks are often bare, the trees suppor-

few places in a 10-mile radius outside my town where I can’t hear

ting low amounts of biodiversity. When you open a window,

either the M4 or another major road) means less and less people

you can no longer hear the loud susurrus of thousands of wings

are spending time outside, and for some, nature itself has become

whooshing above you as turtle doves swarm south, escaping

If we rewild the land, we rewild the mind.

for a moment. One in five children don’t have access to a gar-

and recover” system).

On a quiet morning, I can open my window, sit back with my

today in bringing nature back into our lives.

live within a 10-minute walk of a green space. Let that sink in

the park or coffee in the garden for granted, take some time to

coffee, and listen to the birdsong. For about 30 seconds I hear the

health—we must put people and planet over profit and invest

think of those millions of people living on the top floor of a grim bimonthly trip to the mountains, think about those people who don’t have a car, who can’t afford the train fare to the peaks. The COVID pandemic has shown us the huge disparity in access to nature. It opened many people’s eyes to the issues we face as a nature-depleted nation. But without diving into the social, political, and economic issues that prevent people from getting outdoors (we’d be here all day) let’s talk about something simple you can do if you struggle to get outside or if you don’t have access to green space nearby; you can bring the outdoors in. Dr. Li has a whole section about this in his book. He talks about houseplants, and this is an important part of the idea of

the cold British winter.