TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham is to come to BC's Prees Heath Common Reserve, as part of the first independent audit of its kind in the UK involving Citizen Science.
His goal is to highlight the extent to which the nation’s species are under threat.
On 19th July he’ll becoming to Butterfly Conservation's Prees Heath Common Reserve, one of 48 sites across the country he’ll be stopping off as part of his UK Bioblitz – nature reserves are not enough! Campaign.
Chris’s UK Bioblitz – nature reserves are not enough! The campaign has a serious purpose, as the results of the 2018 audit will be recorded to create a benchmark: this will help measure the rise and fall in numbers of different species on these sites in the future.
He’ll be starting off in the Scottish Highlands on July 14th and from there, over the course of 10 days, he’ll weave his way across the UK, taking in Northern Ireland, Wales and parts of England along the route.
All forms of life will be investigated in this snapshot of the country’s wildlife: from flies to fungi, mammals to moths and birds to butterflies.
At each site Chris and the UK Bioblitz team, which includes 100’s of experts, young conservationists, film makers and people from all backgrounds and abilities, will be helped by species specialists, alongside enthusiastic amateurs, to pinpoint the winners and losers in the battle for Britain’s countryside.
Chris Packham said: “I’m doing this because I want to highlight that the UK’s landscape is in big trouble. We should have a far greater expectation of having wildlife around us all of the time but sadly we find ourselves going to nature reserves.”
The ultimate aim is to celebrate some conservation success stories, but also to flag up some of its failures.
“We treat them like they’re museums and art galleries, we go there, we get fully satisfied there’s lots of life, but on the way home when we’re driving through the countryside there’s nothing left.
"Some parts of it are absolutely bereft, they’re deserts, and what we want to do is say to people ‘that’s not good enough’. We want wildlife everywhere; nature reserves are not enough.”
The campaign is also Crowd-funding with all monies raised being distributed back into grass roots front-line conservation projects they’ve visited throughout the campaign, as well as The National Autistic Society.
Visit www.chrispackham.co.uk to follow the Bioblitz and join the Facebook Event!Butterfly Conservation's
Butterfly Conservation's Prees Heath Common Reserve is the last sanctuary for the Silver-studded Blue butterfly in the Midlands.
The reserve is on a large Common that used to form part of a Second World War airfield.
Chris Packham’s UK Bioblitz Tour timetable:
Sat 14th July: Scotland
Ben Lawers - Perth & Kinross (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Loch Leven - Kinross-shire (public welcome, check times)
Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre - Falkirk (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Kinneil Lagoon (invite only)
Callendar Wood - Stirlingshire (public welcome, check times)
On the Verge, Stirling (site TBC) - Stirlingshire (invite only, media welcome by arrangement)
Sun 15th July: Scotland
Flanders Moss - Stirlingshire (invite only)
Lochwinnoch - Renfrewshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Stevenston Beach - Ayrshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Dalmellington Moss - Ayrshire (invite only, media welcome by arrangement)
Mon 16th July: Northern Ireland
McIlroy Park, Lagan Valley Regional Park - Co. Antrim (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
An Creagan - Co. Tyrone (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Milford Cutting - Co. Armagh (invite only)
Murlough - Co. Down (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Killard - Co. Down (public welcome, check times)
Tue 17th July: Northern Ireland and Scotland
Wildflower Alley - Belfast (Co. Antrim) (invite only, media welcome by arrangement)
Crescent Arts Centre - Belfast (Co. Antrim) (invite only)
Bog Meadows - Belfast (Co. Antrim) (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Caerlaverock Wetland Centre - Dumfriesshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Wed 18th July: Scotland and England
St Abb's Head - Berwickshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Amble - Northumberland (invite only)
Newcastle Great Park Project - Tyne & Wear (invite only, media welcome by arrangement)
Havannah & Three Hills Nature Reserve - Tyne & Wear (invite only)
Filey Bird Observatory - North Yorkshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Thu 19th July: England
Nosterfield Nature Reserve - North Yorkshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Fairburn Ings - West Yorkshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Waingroves Community Woodland Trust - Derbyshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Prees Heath Common Reserve - Shropshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Fri 20th July: Wales
Cemlyn - Anglesey (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Great Orme - Conwy (public welcome, check times
Pensychnant Conservation Centre and Nature Reserve - Conwy (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Ynys-hir - Ceredigion (public welcome, check times)
Gilfach Nature Reserve - Radnorshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Sat 21 July: Wales
Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre - Pembrokeshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
The "Wild Communities" Project, Cae Lynden - Brecknockshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Newport Wetlands - Newport (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
St Woolo's Cemetery - Newport (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Sun 22nd July: England
Kings Dyke Nature Reserve - Cambridgeshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Papley Grove Farm - Cambridgeshire (invite only, media by arrangement)
Wicken Fen - including The Dragonfly Project - Cambridgeshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Lakenheath Fen - Suffolk (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Weeting Heath - Norfolk (invite only)
Mon 23 July: England
Yateley Common Country Park - Hampshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Cliddesden Community Conservation Group - Hampshire (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)
Martin Down Nature Reserve - Hampshire (public welcome, check times)
River Frome Mill & Stream - Dorset (invite only, media by arrangement)
Birds of Poole Harbour- Dorset - (public welcome, check times and media by arrangement)