The What on Earth Project – Recording the wildlife of the UK

24/02/2010 09:21:33 How often do you really look around your garden or local park? Rediscover your surroundings in as little as 10 minutes, and open your eyes to the huge variety of different plant and animal species on your doorstep. To celebrate International Year of Biodiversity, why not join in this nationwide activity to map and learn about local plant and animal species in the UK.

‘What on Earth?' is a call to action: take your camera out into your garden/local park/ hedgerow and snap the wildlife you don't recognise, then simply upload it to our ‘What on Earth?' website for identification. We want to map the range of species found by the public across the UK, highlighting the most unusual species that are found. Taking part is simple and easy, to find out more visit: www.whatonearth.org.uk

For all those who take part, we'll send you a free packet of biodiversity-friendly seeds (subject to availability) and a Biodiversity Information and Activity Pack.

What on Earth has been launched for 2 months only for National Science and Engineering Week. NSEW has teamed up with sponsors Sika Sarnafil to offer a biodiverse green roof to a school in the area of the UK that uploads the most photos. So support your local school and get uploading!

Save our Species

The UK is at risk of loosing a number of our native and most-loved species due to modernisation of farming, gardening and forestry management. Save our Species is an online poll that can be done in the classroom during National Science and Engineering Week!

Watch our five videos of experts and some familiar faces talking about their most-loved endangered species. Find out why they are so special, what makes them important and why they are endangered and cast your votes!

Alternatively, pupils can use our videos as the basis for their own research into each of the endangered species, presenting their findings in groups in class.

We have chosen the almost extinct corncrake, the much loved stag beetle, the fluffy hazel dormouse, the menacing greater horseshoe bat and the beautiful common bluebell as our Star Species for National Science and Engineering Week.

So cast your vote during National Science and Engineering Week to help raise awareness of some of Britain's most loved creatures.

http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/saveourspecies  

Nature's Engineers Competition
Innovation from nature's creativity

We have a lot to learn from the natural world. From the ingenuity of termite mounds, where construction techniques make for perfect, sustainable climate control, to the complexity of materials like spider silk, practically the world's strongest material, the natural world provides some of the most ingenious engineering feats and lessons imaginable. We can only benefit by paying more attention.

Celebrate nature's engineers and discover some of the wonders of nature and what we can learn.

To enter this competition write 100 words about which of these can teach us most - and why - they should win the prize.

The proposed top-10 Nature's Engineers are: Termites, Bees, Moles, Beavers, Weaver birds, Dung beetles, Pistol-snapping shrimp, geckos, water bell spider and leafcutter ants.

Winners will receive four annual passes to the Eden project plus travel.

For full details visit www.britishscienceassociation.org/naturesengineers