Hey Wild Ones,
Firstly, I need to apologise, I’ve been pretty absent lately. I was experiencing what I can only describe as digital burnout. I’ve been sick of being stuck behind a screen, and have been having a hard time with being online lately. So, I’ve been off on some adventures and enjoying the outdoors as much as I can (taking advantage, while the weather is nice).
During my little break from the internet, I also got some pretty big news…
I am officially going back to full-time education to study Wildlife Conservation & Ecology.
This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a few years now, but it’s never quite been the right time. Now I’m realising, there may never be the perfect time to undergo such a big change in my life; I either take the chance or lose out. So, I’m going for it. It’s going to be a big shift, but I’m excited to see where it leads. I’ll be bringing you along for the journey, the highs, the chaos, and the muddy boots in between. After all, Wildly has always been about exploring what’s possible when we follow the call of the wild… and this feels like a natural next step for me.
Nature in the news
Work Wildly
A curated roundup of nature jobs.
GROW is hiring an Assistant Mycology Facilitator in London, UK
Freelance, £15 an hour, hurry – closes August 15th!
Journal of Ecology is hiring a Senior Editor
This global opportunity pays £7,900 and is a 3-year fixed-term contract
Ocean Conservation Trust are hiring a Biologist/Diver
This full-time (but seemingly seasonal weighted role) offers £25,721 - £26,598, is based in Devon and closes on the 22nd.
Work for a nature organisation that’s hiring? Advertise with Wildly for free
Opportunities for nature
A roundup of funding, events, training and other opportunities in the nature space.
Rewilding Europe’s “Introduction to Rewilding” is free, online and self-paced
University of Bristol are offering a unique MScR in Global Environmental Challenges
Advertise training, events, funding opportunities & more with Wildly for free.
🌱 Wild Tip: Treat your CV like a habitat, make sure every inch has a purpose. If a skill, role, or project doesn’t serve the job you’re applying for, prune it back so the most relevant experience can thrive.
Wild Finds
A selection of nature-inspired media & resources, just for you.
📖 Read: Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake — An unforgettable dive into the hidden world of fungi and the surprising ways they shape our planet (and us).
📺 Watch: My Garden of a Thousand Bees (BBC) — A tender, eye-opening look at the secret lives of the bees in one wildlife filmmaker’s backyard.
🎧 Listen: The Wild with Chris Morgan — Storytelling and science woven into adventures that bring you closer to the natural world.
📱 App: Try the Seek app by iNaturalist — point your camera at plants or wildlife and instantly learn more about the species around you.
Species Spotlight: Yellow Rattle
Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor) is a bright, golden wildflower often called the "meadow maker." It’s a semi-parasitic plant that draws nutrients from nearby grasses, gently weakening them and giving other wildflowers space to flourish. Farmers and conservationists alike value it as a natural way to restore biodiversity to meadows, and its cheerful, rattling seed pods make it easy to spot (and hear) in summer.
Fun fact: I recently volunteered on a Yellow Rattle collection and seed dispersal project in the hopes of creating a wildflower meadow next year. It was a super interesting and fun day. I cannot wait to see the results next year.
What’s New at Wildly
Wildly is constantly evolving, and with my new path, it seemed only right to make a small pivot with Wildly too. Of course, I am still sharing opportunities in the nature space, but I’m also going to be sharing more stories, too.
That’s all from me for this week. Now I’d love to hear from you, what’s one change, big or small, you’ve made lately that’s brought you closer to nature?
A small challenge for you for this week: go outside with no distractions, no music, no phone, no book. Just notice the world around you. Thank you for reading Wildly and sharing your love of the natural world with me.
Stay Wild,
– Cara
Wildly is a nature-first platform rooted in storytelling, opportunities, and community.
Big plans are in motion, and every bit of support helps. If you love what I’ve been doing and want to support Wildly, you can now subscribe — or, if a monthly cost isn’t doable, you can always buy me a coffee. Thanks so much!
Welcome back Cara! And congratulations on your course, it will be sooo interesting! 🤩
This sounds amazing, excited for you and look forward to hearing how it goes 😊🌿