Challenge to count wildlife in our garden

BUDDING BOTANISTS are being urged to take part in Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Great Yorkshire Creature Count this weekend.

As well as providing information which will help the Trust understand the health of Yorkshire’s wildlife population, it is hoped it will inspire more people to give nature a helping hand in their gardens.

Running for 24 hours, the count starts at noon on Saturday, with the challenge being to spot and record as much of the different wildlife seen on our doorsteps as possible.

Rachael Bice, CEO of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said: “It’s wonderful to hear that many people have been noticing and appreciating nature and wildlife more during lockdown.

“We’re hoping that taking part in the count will inspire people all over Yorkshire to make their own outdoor spaces more wildlife-friendly and help us create a green network across Yorkshire.

“A network that increases and connects up our wild spaces so that wildlife can move about and find homes more easily.”

She also stressed the importance of making sure there were places for animals and insects to thrive as lockdown eased.

“We must make sure that there is still safe, green space for wildlife to recover when we all start our own recovery,” she said.

The information gathered during the 24-hour count will also give the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust information on where certain species live and thrive.

Anyone can take part and their hunt can be as long as short within the 24-hour time frame as they want.

To sign up go to ywt.org.uk