Citizen Science: How To Conduct A Biodiversity Survey

Now that the warmer weather has returned, it’s the perfect time to get out and about and see what wildlife lives in your local area! In this blog, we’ll teach you how to conduct a biodiversity survey and why they are important.

Citizen Science: How To Conduct A Biodiversity Survey

What is a biodiversity survey and why is it important?

Biodiversity surveys allow local and wider communities to keep track of wildlife populations and assess what may be causing spikes or decreases in wildlife numbers. This can be as simple as spending an hour in your garden, care home garden, school outdoor space, or elsewhere noting what species you see and how many of them.

Types of Biodiversity Survey

Big Garden/School Birdwatch

This one is very low effort but high reward! During a specific weekend in January, the RSPB asks people all over the UK to spend an hour counting the birds that fly into their outdoor spaces. These are then inputted onto the RSPB website and collated to better understand the populations of birds in the UK. If you don’t have an outdoor space, you can still take part! Watch the birds outside your window or head to your local park or beach!

Big Pond Dip

This one is great to do during the summer months. It’s run by the Freshwater Habitats Trust and can help you monitor the health of your pond and makes suggestions on how you can make it an even better habitat for local wildlife. You’ll need a white tray, a sieve, a pen, the form they provide. Simply scoop some pond water with your sieve and place the contents onto the white tray. Count what species you see and fill out the form. The score will then tell you how healthy your pond is.

Living with Mammals Survey

The People’s Trust for Endangered Species manages this survey, which can be done year-round. It’s also another low effort one as you don’t need any equipment to take part! Simply record all the mammals that you see (as well as their tracks and signs) in a green space within 200m of a building. You can then input these findings on their website and learn more tips on how to support wildlife in urban areas.

By Jaisuvyas - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94058546 

Quadrat Count

You might be familiar with this one from school! Make a 50cm x 50 cm quadrat out of wood, bamboo sticks, or string and take it out to a green space. Pop the quadrat down and take a note of all the different insects, bees, butterflies, and plants you see. Make sure to take note of the time of day and weather conditions. You can then repeat this over the year to see how plant and animal life changes in your area.

So, there you go! Become a citizen-scientists and help conservationists understand how your local wildlife is thriving! You can also learn more about habitats and the animals that call them home in our dedicated workshop!