Worm charmers get wiggling in annual city hunt
The Soil Association is asked residents across Edinburgh and the Lothians to go on a charm offensive in support of its annual worm hunt.
Running across the country in May, the event requires participants to practise the ancient art of worm charming – in the interests of modern day science. The Soil Association has produced a free guide ahead of the Worm Hunt to inspire people to dance on the soil, soak the earth with water or use the power of vibrations to attract the worms to the surface.
The findings will be used to create a worm map of the UK, showing where the healthiest and most biodiverse soils are, as an abundance of worms is an indicator of healthy soil. It is part of a nationwide push to restore numbers and address a serious decline in earthworm populations over the past 25 years.
Alex Burton, Head of Worms at the Soil Association, said: “It might sound wacky but dancing on the bare earth can help with science. Worm charming is fun and a little surreal, but scientists and farmers use worm counts to understand soil health. We depend on soils for 95 per cent of our food production, and they hold more carbon than the atmosphere, so it is crucial for us to know what’s going on under the ground and worms help to tell us that.
“The data we get for the worm map will help us build a better understanding of the health of soils in gardens, allotments and green spaces across the UK. This will show where they need help to restore their numbers.
“Worms are in our news, films and our gardens, where children love uncovering them.
“We’re calling for people to become citizen scientists for our valuable pals, and if they don’t find as many as they were expecting, we have plenty of advice to help them improve the soil.”