This is not the usual news update saying what a few of our regular visitors have seen but a request for those who visit, but may be shy of reporting, to do so…

Whilst I’m collating to the Annual Report for 2013 I’m aware that our extremely busy ecologist, Martin, will hopefully be putting together the pages listing any new sightings or ones that may mean a habitat management refocus. Although Rawcliffe Meadows is one of the most recorded sites in the area, in these days of ‘citizen science’ and ‘open-air laboratories’, we know there must be more data, especially as we see plenty of people walking through carrying binoculars. We need to understand how climate change and different management practices affect the whole ecosystem of the site over a longer timescale.

We are also desperately in need of new volunteers, especially of the younger variety, as we prepare new interpretation, carry out a range of management tasks to dealing with contractors or the Environment Agency, Natural England etc., down to practical ones such as clearing the new tansy areas. In the past we’ve helped skill-up young people for employment in conservation, but we have a whole range of tasks that can call on all sorts of abilities. More people also means resilience for the site and its management.

Please send wildlife records  to us via the Contact Page and watch our pages to see when we are working on site. You can also follow us on Twitter @YNET4