BioBlitz – a wildlife safari

Jul 31 2009 by Our Correspondent, Dumfries Standard Friday

WILDLIFE watchers from throughout the region will soon converge on Dalbeattie Forest and Colvend on the hunt for some of Dumfries and Galloway’s hidden wildlife treasures.

OK, so it won’t mean spotting elephants or lions from land rovers but Dumfries and Galloway has a wealth of wildlife just waiting to be discovered!

That’s why the Dumfries and Galloway Environmental Resources Centre (DGERC) is holding the region’s first BioBlitz on August 8 and 9.

The BioBlitz will be a festival of biodiversity bringing together wildlife recorders, both experts and beginners, to find, identify, and learn about as many local plant and animal species as possible – all in 24hrs!

Local experts will lead expeditions around the area throughout the day to record as many species as they can find. But anyone can just come along, go for a walk and tell DGERC about the plants and animals that they see. DGERC will have a base camp in the village hall at Colvend where people can report sightings and find out what others have seen.

The BioBlitz is being organised by the DGERC as part of their Woodland Guardians Project, which provides free training workshops, aimed at stimulating awareness of wildlife through biological recording. Alison Graham, Woodland Guardians Project Officer, said: “The BioBlitz is the perfect opportunity to meet other wildlife enthusiasts while also gathering valuable information about the area and one of the region’s important wildlife sites. Why not come along and be part of it?”

The BioBlitz begins on the evening of Saturday, August 8 with a walk led by the Dumfries and Galloway Bat Group and DGERC staff to identify and record nocturnal species found in the area.

Numbers on this event are limited therefore booking is essential. The BioBlitz continues on Sunday, August 9 when people can join local experts who will be taking groups around the area throughout the day. The guided walks are open to anyone who is interested in wildlife.

For more details or to book on the Saturday evening walk contact Alison Graham at DGERC on 01387 249207 or woodlandguardians@dgerc.org.uk. And for those planning to come along don’t forget to wear stout footwear and bring waterproofs.

The Woodland Guardians Project has been largely supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Solway Heritage.

Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, Colin McLean said: “Projects such as these are so important, they engage the local residents and visitors alike with the wildlife that surrounds them.

The BioBlitz will enable a wide audience to come together and learn about all the wonderful things our landscape has to offer. It will also provide a chance for experts and beginners to learn and interact with some fascinating wildlife. HLF is dedicated to protecting and conserving precious wildlife for people to enjoy for generations to come.”