University and Devon Wildlife Trust team up to celebrate the Festival of Ecology

They will have the opportunity to work with experts from the University and Devon Wildlife Trust to survey wildlife across the Streatham campus. The day will allow the children to use techniques and equipment they may not get to use at school

Paul Martin, Devon Wildlife Trust says:  “The day is all about giving students an exciting experience which we hope will help to stimulate their interest in the natural sciences and give them a taste of what it is like to be an ecologist.”

On Saturday 22 June the University will host a ‘Race to Discover Biodiversity’ on the Streatham campus in the form of a Bioblitz which members of the local community are invited to take part in.  Working together, school children, families and members of the public will have the opportunity to become “bio-detectives” for the day where they will find, identify and record as many plants and animals as possible. A range of wildlife experts, including the presenter of TV’s The Really Wild Show and SpringWatch Nick Baker, will be on hand to help individuals learn about the wealth of wildlife they discover.  Three sessions are planned for the day which will cover four different zones.

Streatham is one of the most beautiful campuses in the UK and is of horticultural importance, but the grounds staff are also committed to catering for wildlife by creating bug hotels, wild flower meadows and leaving areas of grass uncut to allow animals to move around safely so there will be plenty to discover.

Karen Gallagher, University Sustainability Manager commented: “We are so lucky to have such a vibrant campus, with incredible rich biodiversity.  This is our second Bioblitz event and we are delighted to be offering members of the local community the opportunity to learn more about what we have living around us.”

To find out more about the ‘Race to Discover the Local Biodiversity’, including travel information, visit the University of Exeter Sustainability web pages. Spaces are limited and anyone interested in attending is asked to register online via these web pages.

The activities are being supported by the British Ecological Society, the UK’s academic learned society supporting the science of ecology. During 2013 the British Ecological Society will be celebrating its centenary with a series of events, conferences and publications that aim to increase the profile of ecological science among scientists and the public. The Festival of Ecology is a public focussed nationwide celebration of ecological science with over sixty participating institutions across the UK. The Festival will run from 15 June - 4 August 2013.

Professor Georgina Mace FRS, President of the British Ecological Society said: “The British Ecological Society is delighted to be working with the University of Exeter and Devon Wildlife Trust in celebrating our Centenary year.  These events are part of our Festival of Ecology through which we hope visitors will learn more about the science of ecology and how relevant and fascinating this science is to understanding the challenges we face in the world today.”

For more information please contact Paul Martin Education Officer at the Devon Wildlife Trust or the Sustainability Team at the University of Exeter.