CALLING ALL CITIZEN SCIENTISTS!

Starting this Spring, we are inviting amateur naturalists into Birling Estate to help with the important job of recording plant and animal species. This year Birling Estate is moving into Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship; through this DEFRA scheme we are committing to provide and enhance more biodiverse habitats for wildlife, including species rich grassland. Before this process begins, it’s important that we understand which species are currently found across the estate, and their abundance, so we can map and quantify the impact that providing habitats for nature contributes towards key species recovery. We are lucky enough to host pockets of rare chalk grassland and ancient woodland habitats, so we are hopeful that our Citizen Scientists may spot rare species of orchids, butterflies and lapwing birds!

Scientific research into the natural world is underpinned by observations in the field and the gathering of datasets needed to measure and quantify these observations. This is a time-consuming practice and can only be achieved with the support of (often highly knowledgeable) interested and ordinary community members.

If you live locally, please get in touch to register your interest – along with some background on your level of previous experience (if any) in recording plant and animal species.