Packham plans a ‘bioblitz’ to help nature fight back

TV PRESENTER and naturalist Chris Packham is calling on the help of experts and the public for a nationwide “bioblitz” to audit the country’s wildlife.

Packham aims to use the independent “citizen science” audit of 50 sites across the country, including some in Yorkshire, to highlight the extent to which the nation’s species are under threat, and that it is “not enough” just to have wildlife in nature reserves. He also hopes the results will be a benchmark to help measure future declines or improvements.

Bioblitzes involve an intensive field study over a set period of time to record all the living species within a designated area.

Starting in the Scottish Highlands on July 14, over the course of 10 days he will make his way through Northern Ireland, Wales and parts of England, looking at wildlife from flies to fungi, mammals, birds and butterflies.

At each site, Packham and his “bioblitz” team will be joined by specialists on different species and amateur nature lovers. He said: “I’m doing this because I want to highlight that the UK’s landscape is in big trouble.”

On Wednesday, July 18, he will be at Filey Bird Observatory in North Yorkshire and on Thursday, July 19, he will be at Nosterfield Nature Reserve and Fairburn Ings, both in North Yorkshire.