Early Alert! City Nature Challenge 2022

For the fourth year running we are inviting you to join in with the the City Nature Challenge, a world wide nature spot, that runs from 29 April to 2 May this year. Originally set up on a competitive basis, it is now described, since the pandemic started, as a collaborative effort to record as much wildlife as possible over these 4 days, though fun, local competition to get the most records, is perfectly acceptable!

Despite being called the "City" Nature Challenge, you don't need to live in a city to take part! Wildlife Records from any habitat can be submitted to the challenge. From the Tweed to the Tees we're asking you to add your observations wherever you are!

The iNaturalist app is easy to use and can be a great way to start observing and recording wildlife, especially with children, If you work in a school, particularly if you're involved in a nature club, perhaps you could kick off the City Nature Challenge on Friday the 29th April with a school bioblitz? If you like this idea, but feel you need some support, get in touch with Fiona and she can help you get set up.

Many people feel they don't know enough or that maybe there is nothing interesting to record nearby. On the first point, so long as you can take a reasonably good photo of your organism, you don't need to know what it is. Other observers and experts in the iNaturalist community, can view your photo and can usually identify it so it is also a great learning tool. On the second point, recording all species, even common ones, is important. A good example of this is the changes in the hedgehog population in Britain.
Not so long ago, they were a common, everyday species, but now, sadly, they are classified as vulnerable to extinction in the United Kingdom. By monitoring numbers and distribution of species, changes in populations can be spotted early and conservation efforts can be targeted to where they will have the most effect. Not everyone can do practical conservation tasks, but nearly everyone can spot some wildlife and make a formal record of it and this makes a difference.

We, here at the Environmental Records Information Centre North East (ERIC NE) coordinate the project for the area of North East England and would be delighted if you would join in. Biological recording is a really great way to help look after wildlife.

You can start to get ready now.

1. Find iNaturalist: www.inaturalist.org
2. Make an account
3. Take a photo of some wildlife, upload it and practise using iNaturalist so you are ready to go in April!
4. If you are really keen, the project is set up and ready for you to join now though it doesn't go live until 29th April. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2022-north-east-england

Follow the link below to find out more, or contact Fiona if you want some help. https://citynaturechallenge.org/
Fiona.Greenwold@twmuseums.org.uk

Publicado el febrero 4, 2022 11:36 MAÑANA por ericne