A-Z Council Services


FInd us on Facebook

FInd us on Twitter

Click here to read the One Island Magazine

Children and Young Peoples Services

Services for Adults on the Isle of Wight

Would you like to get involved?

We always welcome help with our Local Nature Reserves and there are a number of ways you can get involved

One way is to keep a record of the wildlife you see in your Local Nature Reserve throughout a season, or even a year.

We have made a basic recording card which can be downloaded here or you can email the Isle of Wight Local Records Centre at [email protected].
GetInvolved_SpeciesandVolunteering00

GetInvolved_SpeciesandVolunteering01

Another way is by volunteering for practical management work such as scrub clearance, coppicing and access improvements.

Please contact Parks and Countryside on [email protected], tel 823893 or see the Wight Walks booklet for information on work parties.



Why record?

Wildlife records are invaluable as they can tell us:
  • if a species really is rare or threatened - it is helpful to have an accurate picture of where they are and how their population or range is changing over time
  • Today's common species may be tomorrow's rare species; we won't know it’s happening and won't be able to help if we don't know where they are
  • Monitoring species can also help us detect other kinds of change, such as change in the climate. For example, butterflies associated with warmer regions may arrive here and become established
  • Above all, recording gives you the perfect excuse to get out there and enjoy the countryside!

This information can begin build a picture that can then be used to help protect species, enhance & create habitats, produce distribution atlases and monitor change.


What happens to my records?


In every area, across the UK, there are dedicated volunteers who maintain a database of records of those plants or animals in which they are interested. Many of these recorders are specialists in their subject and are keen to encourage others
GetInvolved_SpeciesandVolunteering02
Your records will be received by the Isle of Wight Local Records Centre and then passed on to the relevant recorder, who will verify the record before adding it to their database. These records will then be passed to national organisations such as the Dragonfly Society, Botanical Society of the British Isles etc


Your record will be put to good use; you can make a real difference!



Page last updated on: 15/12/2010