Citizen science and outdoor exercise; the 2 go hand in hand!
With July having already brought pleasant weather, plenty of events and countless fluttering and buzzing bugs, it has also brought the fruition of a wee idea… citizen science and outdoor exercise; pair them up, it’s a doddle!
Easterhouse Green Gym
I have been working alongside the Easterhouse Green Gym group, getting them involved in citizen science by having a go at invertebrate surveying. By splitting the session down the middle, you give the volunteers the opportunity to partake in the usual practical work task of a green gym session, as well as a survey activity where records can be generated.
For example, week 1 with the Easterhouse group was the week of the ‘Meadow’. For the first half of the session, we planted wildflowers to enhance the meadow in Auchinlea park (as part of the Glasgow’s Buzzing Project). The second half of the session was spent using sweep nets and FSC guides to identify species residing within that meadow. (Without trampling the newly planted plugs of course). This, not only gives you the chance to gather a good number of records, but gives the volunteers a chance to try something new and see their local greenspaces in more depth.
ID with FSC, FYI
Sweep-Stakes!
Through this session we found a variety of inverts; 7-spot ladybirds, common-blue damselfly, ringlets, silver ground carpet-moth. All of which can be added to irecord and on-going surveys. Just as important as this however, was that the volunteers gained a greater insight into there local environment and enjoyed a new and interesting activity… albeit with varying degrees of success… we also caught a Davie!
Davieus Heedinanetus