Get involved with the Whiteknights campus BioBlitz this weekend
Tuesday, 04 June 2013
'It's so easy to take the woodland, meadows, open grassland and botanic gardens on our beautiful campus for granted, but events like this will hopefully remind people why it's so special.'
This weekend there is a fantastic opportunity to find out more about the huge variety of plant and animal species on the Whiteknights campus at Reading's first BioBlitz.
The free event will bring together scientists, wildlife groups and local people to identify and celebrate the biodiversity on the 134 hectare campus from Friday at 9pm.
Dr Rebecca Thomas, Teaching Fellow in the School of Biological Sciences and organiser of the BioBlitz said: "The BioBlitz promises to be a great family event. We have worked to bring together our scientists, Berkshire environmental groups and members of the public to work together and do a fast and intensive survey of all forms of life on their doorstep. It's a race to find as many different species of plants, birds, insects, fungi, mammals, fish, and everything else as possible in 24 hours. Everything found will be written down to make a 'species record' which feeds into national databases that monitor our wildlife - it's real citizen science in action!
"It's so easy to take the woodland, meadows, open grassland and botanic gardens on our beautiful campus for granted, but events like this will hopefully remind people why it's so special and that ‘urban' wildlife shouldn't be overlooked."
A programme of lectures and guided walks will be hosted by staff from the School of Biological Sciences, commencing with bat and moth walks from 9pm on Friday evening, for which booking in advance is required.
Registrations for the BioBlitz will be taken at the entrance of the Harborne Building from 9.45am on Saturday. Guests will also be able to enjoy a Family Bird Walk, a Wild Flower Walk and a Butterfly Walk on the day, which will also host stalls of local groups such as the Berkshire Mammal Group and the Upper Thames Butterfly Conservation group at the event's Environmental fair.
Visit the BioBlitz website for more information >>>
You can follow Rebecca Thomas on Twitter - @BeckyMicrocebus and the hashtag for the event is #UoRBioBlitz
See more images of biodiversity of the Whiteknights campus on the University's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/theuniversityofreading