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Keeping watch
The only way to find out how the climate is affecting sites, is to record how they change, how wildlife is coping and then adjust the work we do to best help wildlife.
If we do not keep watch, we could lose some of our valuable wildlife. Monitoring and surveying are vital parts of our work and give us the information we need to respond quickly to changes. We can use this information to determine how our reserves could best be worked on, enlarged and connected to provide the maximum benefit to wildlife.
We work with volunteers to monitor numbers of wildflowers, like wild orchids, which provide nectar sources for insects, butterflies and bees in our nature reserves. Wildflowers, such as orchids, can become threatened if more dominant plants, like coarse grass, are allowed to take over a meadow.
Because of earlier springs and later autumns brought about by climate change, we will need to monitor the growth of dominant plants on our meadows more closely. If they grow at a higher rate than usual, we can graze our meadows with sheep and cattle for longer or cut back the grasses, which will prevent the loss of delicate orchids and other colourful wildflowers.
Across the Eastern Region, Wildlife Trust staff are working with and training volunteers, providing the tools, skills and support to enable local people to play the vital role in keeping watch for our wildlife.
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