It mightn’t be home to lions and leopards but spiders and bats are among the creatures experts are looking for help to catalogue at a Swansea beauty spot next week.
A 24-hour biodiversity blitz and ocean vigil is being held at the Bishop’s Wood Nature Reserve in Caswell and nearby coastal path from 5am on Saturday May 22 to 5am on Sunday May 23.
People of all ages are invited to take part and join experts in putting together an inventory of the reserve’s woodland and grassland species as well as the coastal and marine life along the shoreline.
Searches for shore fish, lichens, elm trees, seaweed, moths and dawn chorus birds are among those being arranged.
The event coincides with International Biodiversity Day and is being organised by Swansea Council’s Nature and Conservation Team and the Swansea Biodiversity Partnership.
Teams will leave from a central marquee area tasked with discovering and surveying particular kinds of plant and animal life.
Judith Oakley, of Swansea Council’s Nature and Conservation Team, said: “People often don’t realise the rich and fascinating range of plant and animal life that’s right here on our doorsteps in the UK and this is the first time such an inventory of Bishop’s Wood and the nearby coastline will have taken place.
“I’m sure the event will be extremely popular for people of all ages. It will give participants the chance to discover daytime and nocturnal wildlife with expert guidance and to catalogue their findings for national records.
“It will be a hugely enjoyable and educational 24 hours and I’d urge anyone interested in taking part to get in touch first to guarantee their place.”
Data collected during the event will be centrally collated by experts and sent onto relevant recording groups and SEWBREC (The South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre).
The survey results will also be made available online and on the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.
Anyone looking for further information or to book places at the event should email [email protected] or [email protected] at Swansea Council’s Nature and Conservation team. Both Judith and Jo have more information on when searches for particular kinds of wildlife will be taking place over the 24 hours.
Enquiries can also be made by calling 01792 635784.
