Nature investigations at country parks
The flora and fauna of Fitzwilliam and Upton Country Parks are set to be discovered as a project is launched investigating how nature has regrown on the former colliery sites.
Community Science is a project run by scientists from the Open Air Laboratories (OPAL), based at the University of York, and will collect data on wildlife including bee species, bats, wildflowers and funghi since the mines closed.
But to help with their research, green-fingered locals are being asked for a helping hand.
Opal community scientist Sarah West said a team of volunteers would receive appropriate training and would devote up to two hours a week to the project.
She said: "We will train people to carry out the various data-gathering tasks.
"These will include, for instance, identifying and surveying for bumblebees, involving people walking a specific route around the site on a regular basis looking for particular bee species.
"Other groups of people might wish to concentrate on wildflowers, fungi, grasshoppers or bats, and they would operate in a similar way."
"We'd like local people to get involved, they could even combine looking out for particular species whilst walking their dogs."
The 11.75m nationwide project has been funded by the Big Lottery Fund to help inspire the next generation of nature enthusiasts, and is also hoping to get local schools involved.
OPAL will have a stand at the Fitzwilliam Country Park Fun Day from 11am-2pm on Wednesday, August 11.
For more information, visit www.opalexplorenature.org
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Weather for Wakefield
Thursday 24 May 2012
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