The National Trust launches ‘Wild Senses’, encouraging people across the UK to embrace autumn’s unique sensory experiences and foster a deeper connection with nature in urban and rural environments amid climate challenges.
As the crispness of autumn settles in and days grow shorter, the National Trust is urging the public to resist retreating indoors and instead to embrace the season’s unique sensory experiences through its new nationwide campaign, ‘Wild Senses’. Launched alongside the first episode of the BBC nature series “Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles,” co-produced by the Trust and The Open University, the campaign invites people to reconnect with nature where they live—be it in city parks or countryside woodlands.
The series, presented by wildlife expert and cameraman Hamza Yassin, celebrates the UK’s seasonal biodiversity and encourages viewers to notice and appreciate everyday wildlife, even in urban environments. Yassin emphasises the importance of engaging with nature year-round, especially in autumn, saying that simply stepping outside or sitting quietly to let nature come to you can significantly boost well-being. Despite 90% of UK adults recognising the positive effect of spending time outdoors, a stark disparity remains: only 13% feel most connected to nature during autumn, even though 79% say they are likely to seek it out in this season. The National Trust’s commissioned YouGov poll reveals that the highly valued autumn colours are the top seasonal highlight, with 42% citing sight as their most cherished sense for enjoying autumn.
Recognising the barriers posed by poorer weather and shorter daylight hours, the Trust stresses the accessibility of nature in everyday surroundings, highlighting that 85% of the UK population lives in urban areas. Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust, underscores the importance of safeguarding green spaces such as gardens, streets, and parks, which serve as vital habitats and gateways for people to connect with seasonal wildlife. She notes the sensory feast offered by autumn—the crunching leaves, the scent of damp soil, the texture of conkers, and the taste of hedgerow berries—as being crucial for mental health, especially as the darker days draw in.
To deepen public engagement, the Trust has collaborated with the walking app Go Jauntly to launch Naturehood, featuring curated nature walks in London, Manchester, and Birmingham. This initiative also includes a nationwide challenge with 25 nature-based activities, from cloud watching to touching tree bark. Additionally, the Trust is urging gardeners to help wildlife cope with the impacts of climate change, especially after a record-breaking hot summer and drought caused many berries and nuts to fruit earlier than usual. Ben McCarthy, Head of Nature Conservation at the Trust, advises planting late-fruiting shrubs and native trees, leaving leaf piles for hibernating animals, and reducing excess garden tidying to support species like hedgehogs, dormice, and birds later in the season.
This autumn is expected to deliver a particularly vibrant natural display. The National Trust’s experts forecast a colourful season across its gardens, parklands, and woodlands due to a favourable combination of ample sunshine and late rains preventing premature leaf fall. John Deakin, the Trust’s Head of Trees and Woodland, describes autumn as a pivotal time for nature, marked by vivid colours and bountiful harvests of acorns, fungi, and berries, all signaling a healthy environment for wildlife.
Beyond the National Trust’s campaign, other organisations are running complementary autumn initiatives to nurture nature connection through sensory experiences. The South Downs National Park Authority encourages visitors to engage all five senses with the season’s sights, sounds, tastes, and textures, deepening appreciation for the changing landscape. Meanwhile, the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester, and North Merseyside is hosting family-friendly activities at Mere Sands Wood throughout October, including hedgehog spotting, fungi hunts, and autumn crafts, designed to foster environmental awareness and enjoyment.
These efforts resonate with a broader conservation movement, including initiatives like the Wildlife Trusts’ ’12 Days Wild’, a festive period challenge promoting daily interaction with nature to maintain connection through the colder months. Collectively, these campaigns highlight the growing recognition of the crucial role that nature plays in public well-being and climate resilience, advocating for year-round engagement with the natural world.
The National Trust’s ‘Wild Senses’ campaign is part of a wider strategy encouraging people to experience the unique beauty and sensory richness of autumn, wherever they are. It reflects a call not just to observe nature, but to immerse oneself in its rhythms, textures, and colours, fostering a deeper connection to the environment that is increasingly vital in today’s urbanised and climate-impacted world.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is fresh, published on 14 October 2025, with no prior appearances found. The campaign is newly launched, indicating high freshness.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The quotes from Hamza Yassin and Hilary McGrady are unique to this narrative, with no earlier matches found. This suggests original content.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from The Leamington Observer, a local news outlet. While it provides detailed information, its local focus may limit broader verification.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about the National Trust’s ‘Wild Senses’ campaign align with known initiatives promoting nature connection. The statistics cited are consistent with previous reports. The tone and language are appropriate for the topic and region.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh, with original quotes and plausible claims. While sourced from a local news outlet, the information aligns with known initiatives and is presented appropriately.
