Over the past 12 months, we have been working with Somerset Wildlife Trust, the National Trust and Exmoor National Park on a series of free environmental events to engage our community with wildlife, teach skills that enable the community to identify and record wildlife using the iNaturalist app and encourage people to connect with and protect their natural surroundings.
Contents
Introduction
March Seashore BioBlitz
June Plants and Insects BioBlitz
October Fungi and Lichens BioBlitz
Aspirations and Objectives
Impacts and Outcomes
March Seashore BioBlitz
June Plants and Insects BioBlitz
October Fungi and Lichens BioBlitz
Aspirations and Objectives
Impacts and Outcomes
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Introduction
In 2022, we were awarded a £1500 grant from Wessex Water's Environment Fund to hold an environmental event known as a BioBlitz. A BioBlitz is a community event in which you attempt to find, identify and record as many species of plants, insects and animals in a given period of time in a certain location.
We invited Somerset Wildlife Trust, National Trust and Exmoor National Park to partner with us on this event to share resources, access a wide pool of environmental knowledge and increase our impact and outreach. What started as a seed of an idea soon became a much larger inspirational celebration of nature in Minehead.
We invited Somerset Wildlife Trust, National Trust and Exmoor National Park to partner with us on this event to share resources, access a wide pool of environmental knowledge and increase our impact and outreach. What started as a seed of an idea soon became a much larger inspirational celebration of nature in Minehead.
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25 March 2023 - Seashore BioBlitz
The first BioBlitz took place on Saturday 25th March 2023 with over 100 people in attendance. Prior to this we also ran a training session on 4th March, attended by over 30 people from the community, on how to use the iNaturalist app, which the Wildlife Trust is promoting across the UK as a way to identify and record data about the wildlife you spot while out and about.
The BioBlitz include a range of activities to appeal to all ages and members of the community. From official wildlife surveying along the seashore using citizen science techniques, to free arts and crafts and a virtual reality tour of the nearby beaver enclosure on the National Trust's Holnicote Estate, there was something for everyone. Rangers from Exmoor National Park ran engaging seashore safaris and guided walks and talks, while a local artist ran beach sketching workshops to help the community connect with nature through creativity and children painted a giant canvas with natural dyes and paints made from natural resources.
The BioBlitz include a range of activities to appeal to all ages and members of the community. From official wildlife surveying along the seashore using citizen science techniques, to free arts and crafts and a virtual reality tour of the nearby beaver enclosure on the National Trust's Holnicote Estate, there was something for everyone. Rangers from Exmoor National Park ran engaging seashore safaris and guided walks and talks, while a local artist ran beach sketching workshops to help the community connect with nature through creativity and children painted a giant canvas with natural dyes and paints made from natural resources.
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17 June 2023 - Plants and Insects BioBlitz
The March event was such a success that we decided to hold a second BioBlitz event on 17th June, focused around plants and insects. Partnering again with Somerset Wildlife Trust, Exmoor National Park and the National Trust, we were able to tap into their knowledge, skills and expertise.
Over 80 people attended this event, held in Minehead's Blenheim Gardens. This second BioBlitz included a Gruffalo wildlife story walk, guided walks and talks, free arts and crafts using natural dyes and paints to paint bunting and a large banner and wildlife surveying using iNaturalist.
Over 80 people attended this event, held in Minehead's Blenheim Gardens. This second BioBlitz included a Gruffalo wildlife story walk, guided walks and talks, free arts and crafts using natural dyes and paints to paint bunting and a large banner and wildlife surveying using iNaturalist.
28 October 2023 - Fungi and Lichens BioBlitz
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On 28th October 2023, we will hold another BioBlitz event centered around fungi and lichens. We are again working with Exmoor National Park, Somerset Wildlife Trust and National Trust, with support from Exmoor Natural History Society, to deliver a fun and interesting day focusing on fungi and lichens!
The morning will start with a series of talks from local wildlife experts and project leads about how to photograph fungi and lichens for iNaturalist, as well as updates from Elizabeth Atkinson about the West Somerset Wildways project. After lunch, the group will then embark on a field trip to Exmoor's North Hill to search for, identify and record fungi and lichens found in that location before heading back to basecamp for some further identification using microscopes. The day will end with some arts and crafts using lichens and fungi for inspiration! |
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Aspirations and Objectives
Minehead is a rurally isolated town and a vulnerable coastal community which faces issues from flooding, rising surface level water and run off from Exmoor National Park, negatively impacting biodiversity, access to the outdoors and personal wellbeing. Minehead is also located on the Severn Estuary, which is recognised as an internationally important wetland habitat for countless species of fish, plants, insects, and birds. However, climate change, coastal development and tourism all pose threats to the coastal and marine ecosystems.
In addition, Somerset Wildlife Trust and the Somerset Environmental Records Centre recently acknowledged that there are large gaps in the data they hold about key wildlife species in Somerset, which presents challenges when making important decisions regarding conservation work.
Ecological data is required in order to monitor and understand the changes in the diversity species we have in Somerset, as well as the abundance and quantity of those species. This data enables organisations like the Wildlife Trust to track the health of the ecosystems that exist and make informed decisions to support them!
If declines in wildlife are not noticed and managed, we risk losing certain species for good.
The aim of our BioBlitz events is three-fold...
In addition, Somerset Wildlife Trust and the Somerset Environmental Records Centre recently acknowledged that there are large gaps in the data they hold about key wildlife species in Somerset, which presents challenges when making important decisions regarding conservation work.
Ecological data is required in order to monitor and understand the changes in the diversity species we have in Somerset, as well as the abundance and quantity of those species. This data enables organisations like the Wildlife Trust to track the health of the ecosystems that exist and make informed decisions to support them!
If declines in wildlife are not noticed and managed, we risk losing certain species for good.
The aim of our BioBlitz events is three-fold...
- To increase the number of people submitting records of wildlife to iNaturalist which will in turn increase the number of records and quality and quantity of data. The more records we have, the more we know about habitats and ecosystems and the better equipped we are to protect them and our wildlife.
- To boost our communities connection to nature. While our BioBlitz events appeal to people from all ages and backgrounds, we are especially keen to inspire the younger generation to join the campaign against climate change, by feeling inspired and connected to their local natural environment, inspiring a love of nature from a young age.
- Improve individual's knowledge of wildlife to enable people to submit accurate Research Grade observations to iNaturalist and enable them to pass on their knowledge and enthusiams to others.
Impacts and Outcomes
Here are some key stats from 2023:
The first event on 25th March 2023, saw over 100 people in attendance, taking part in one or several of the free activities planned for the day. These included seashore safaris with Exmoor National Park's Rangers, citizen science work and wildlife surveying with Somerset Wildlife Trust, arts and crafts with Wild Wellies Forest School and other local artists, and even a free virtual reality tour of the nearby beaver enclosure on the Holnicote Estate.
Across the three wildlife surveys run by Somerset Wildlife Trust, 41 different species of plant, insect, and animal were identified, ranging from Beadlet Anemone and Barnacles to Hermit Crabs and the Common Sun Star, a large star fish that can grow as big as a dinner plate! 89 observations were submitted to iNaturalist on the day, covering 61 species.
One attendee told us "Today has been so much fun for me and my 2 children, age 4 and 2. I struggle to access the local areas with such young children on my own... Having activites for the children to do with other adults and children for free has made a huge difference to my day and wellbeing. Thank you for such a wonderful event!"
Another parents explained "We heard about this BioBlitz on (BBC) Somerset Radio and thought we'd all come from Bristol. Great event for family - there was something for all 4 of us: My ADHD/ASD son is a big wildlife fan and loved the sea survey. My 7 year old daughter loved the arts and crafts. We loved a day outdoors learning!"
Other children wrote about, or drew pictures to represent what the Somerset coast means to them. Some examples are below:
- Over 300 people engaged with or attended events
- 210 ecological observations submitted to iNaturalist across the two events on 25th March and 17th June
- 134 species identified in iNaturalist across the two events on 25th March and 17th June
- 648 ecological observations submitted to iNaturalist in the Minehead area since our first iNaturalist training event on 4th March, compared with 1240 observations in the 10 years prior to this.
The first event on 25th March 2023, saw over 100 people in attendance, taking part in one or several of the free activities planned for the day. These included seashore safaris with Exmoor National Park's Rangers, citizen science work and wildlife surveying with Somerset Wildlife Trust, arts and crafts with Wild Wellies Forest School and other local artists, and even a free virtual reality tour of the nearby beaver enclosure on the Holnicote Estate.
Across the three wildlife surveys run by Somerset Wildlife Trust, 41 different species of plant, insect, and animal were identified, ranging from Beadlet Anemone and Barnacles to Hermit Crabs and the Common Sun Star, a large star fish that can grow as big as a dinner plate! 89 observations were submitted to iNaturalist on the day, covering 61 species.
One attendee told us "Today has been so much fun for me and my 2 children, age 4 and 2. I struggle to access the local areas with such young children on my own... Having activites for the children to do with other adults and children for free has made a huge difference to my day and wellbeing. Thank you for such a wonderful event!"
Another parents explained "We heard about this BioBlitz on (BBC) Somerset Radio and thought we'd all come from Bristol. Great event for family - there was something for all 4 of us: My ADHD/ASD son is a big wildlife fan and loved the sea survey. My 7 year old daughter loved the arts and crafts. We loved a day outdoors learning!"
Other children wrote about, or drew pictures to represent what the Somerset coast means to them. Some examples are below:
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