What did you spot on your commute to work this morning?

Spending time in nature has proven mental health benefits from boosting your mood to helping to reduce anxiety and ease stress.

Land Studio’s Director of Ecology Val Gateley commutes to Chester from his home in West Lancashire and stays connected to nature during his drive in.

He said: “When I first started commuting to work, I would watch the small local swallow colony out foraging over the arable fields. These fields have now been harvested and the swallows have migrated south for the year after successfully raising six young from two, possibly three, broods. 

“Now we are into Autumn the swallows have been replaced by skeins of pink-footed geese, with skies being filled with “V’s” of birds both over the west Lancashire farmland I drive through but also but also above Frodsham, Helsby and Ince Marshes along the M56.

“The central reservation along the M57 is providing some autumn colour with swathes of lilac coming from Michaelmas daisy with some pockets of bright deep yellow from perennial sow thistle. Dotted along the embankments of the M56, there a few patches of common toadflax providing small spikes of pastel yellow.

“The steep and striking wooded hillsides above Frodsham and Helsby are starting to show some Autumnal colours and I have occasionally spotted ravens and buzzards gliding in the thermals here too.

“On my walk from the car park to the office in Chester there are sections of wall where ivy is growing thick and is now in full flower providing a great source of late nectar for a range of invertebrates. Later in the season the subsequent ivy berries are also a fabulous source of food for birds, amongst other things.”

• Val heads up our new Ecology design and management division, which offers clients a wide range of ecological services including Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) assessments in support of their projects. Find out more here: