An introduction to Wildlife Surveying

admin
, 30 December 2024
An introduction to Wildlife Surveying
Surveying © Fran Southgate

By Huw Morgan

Wilder Communities Manager

The Wilder Communities team gets a lot of requests about how best to survey and monitor sites. This is important as it provides the basis of how to manage a site and develop a management plan. If you don't know what's there, then you don't know how best to protect and encourage it. With this in mind, over the last year, the Wilder Communities team has been joined by ecologist Laurie Jackson to help give expert guidance to groups on basic surveying and monitoring techniques on the sites they look after. She's also helped to improve the skills and knowledge of staff members in the team.

Working across the county, Laurie and the team have visited lots of groups of varying size and experience, making suggestions on how best to manage sites and how to monitor whether their work is having the desired impact. From urban allotments to churchyards and Local Nature Reserves, Laurie has helped support and give confidence to groups, guiding them where needed and giving assurances that they're heading in the right direction and their efforts are proving valuable.

Following on from this, Laurie has now produced a fantastic Guide to Wildlife Surveying, available to download from our website here. This will give groups and individuals a chance to develop basic skills and improve their knowledge, providing a valuable resource in managing their greenspaces and keeping up the wonderful work our community groups do for wildlife in Sussex.

Download guide here

“Laurie's course was really wonderful. The enormity of the task of surveying was introduced very well. It led us to understand the complexities involved but also allowed us to access relevant tasks for our individual needs. I came away from the day filled with enthusiasm to share the knowledge gained and to put ideas into action. I look forward to receiving Laurie's slides/sheets as promised.”

Jenny, Lavant Conservation Group

“Thank you very much for Laurie’s summary. Jerry is now using Laurie’s ideas and suggestions and working with his trusted gardener to deliver a new management strategy.”

Helen Toole, Billigreen Group

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