What is WildSide
Crowdsourced information about how, when, and where you can find and connect with wildlife anywhere in the world. So that together we can SEE wildlife, SPEND local, SHARE our experiences, and STOP extinction.
What is our vision
We want to build a world wide movement around wildlife watching so that together we can stop the sixth mass extinction and build a sustainable future for all life on Earth.
how do we want to get there
We believe that one of the best ways to help stop the catastrophic loss of wildlife is for people to get out and experience it directly. Research shows that this helps people to make meaningful connections with the natural environment and creates a desire to protect it. To help to do this, we created WildSide.
WildSide is a website that is building a world wild web of places where people can experience wildlife. It is modelled on the mycelial networks which underpin all life on Earth. These wood wide webs connect plants and trees through a network which shares resources so that all individuals can thrive. In the same manner, the world wild web acts to connect up the world’s wild places and encourage people to visit those places and help them to thrive.
Our mission is for WildSide to help to make wildlife watching an everyday activity for all aspects of society. We want to encourage people to go out and see wildlife – not in zoos or on TVs – but in its natural environment. And by doing so, we want people to love wildlife as much as we do and to do what they can to protect it.
We hope that this will create a step-change in the amount of money spent on wildlife watching and generate an economic necessity to protect the natural environment. And that by making time to SEE wildlife, to SPEND our money on the local communities and businesses that protect it, and to SHARE our experiences with others, together we can STOP the sixth mass extinction and build an alternative, more sustainable future for all life on Earth.
Who We are
WildSide is part of the Lifescape Project – a charity which undertakes conservation projects that aim to deliver environmental, social, and economic benefits. You can meet the team below.
Chris White is an Environmental Economist at AECOM and Trustee of the Lifescape Project.
Lizzie Hyatt is a Lawyer with the Government Legal Department.
Ash Welch is an Ecologist at AECOM.
Adam Eagle is the CEO of the Lifescape Project.
Katie Thomas is a property lawyer at a law firm headquartered in London.
How To get involved
Have you had a successful (or unsuccessful!) wildlife watching experience? Please share it with us and help build the world wild web! To get involved just complete our easy-to-use Wildlife Watching Form. You can find an example here.
WildSide is based on the data submitted by its users – and depends on this data to provide accurate recommendations. All of the data we collect is used in supporting conservation. It is freely accessible to anyone who is interested – although personal details are never shared. Download the WildSide Data Privacy Disclaimer to see our information policy and other terms of use.
Do you run a wildlife watching organisation? Would you like to be listed on the world wild web? If yes, please send us your details. We will try to visit everyone who gets in touch. If we like a place we will recommend it. All of our recommendations are based on our honest opinions. We do not accept any payments or any advertising.
If you would like access to the data, to get a site listed, or to send any questions, comments, or tips you can get in touch with the following form. We look forward to hearing from you!