From the Big Garden Birdwatch this week, Stanfree Valley aim to undertake far more surveys this year to help the scientists determine the state of our UK nature.
Citizen science projects are a celebrated way to learn more about our wildlife as well as helping to preserve it.
By working together with volunteers, scientists and conservationists can collect much more information about the species they are studying.
January – Big Garden Birdwatch and in February, there is a similar birding survey supported by the NFU called the GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count.
The Big Plastic Count is in March, which is run by Greenpeace, an organisation that we at Stanfree Valley support. It tells us how much plastic is being wasted each week in our homes and highlights the simple things we can do to avoid so much of it entering the environment.
The Big Butterfly Count takes place in July. Stanfree Valley undertake the count each year from Oxcroft Screens site, being the ideal habitat for BAP species and those critically endangered by habitat loss. Notably, those free draining and infertile soils which simple and beautiful wildflowers take hold (Birds-foot trefoil, vetch, tormentil, and yellow rattle found on site). Stanfree Valley have supported BC since 2016 – We ❤️ Pollinators!
The National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) aims to survey plant species across different habitats in the UK. Every Flower Counts survey is generally run twice per year during the bank holidays. Its simple and requires minimal equipment – just an ID book or device. The survey is conducted at the end of May after #NoMowMay and end of June after #LetItBloomJune.
BeeWalks are a fixed transect walked once a month between March and October counting bees seen and identifying them to species and caste (queen, worker or male) where possible. The information collected by BeeWalkers is integral to the work of the Trust, allowing bee scientists gain an accurate understanding of bumblebee populations and distributions across Britain. Stanfree Valley supports the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and has done since 2015 – We ❤️ Pollinators!
The Great British Bee Count (FoE) also takes place during the summer months.
And this is just the start ……..
We carry out our own air quality sampling and reporting. There are Bat walks (we are getting a bat detection device this year 
), Fungi mapping (Citizen science via social media plays an important role in mycological research), Stargazing and asteroid spotting, Reptile reporting (Wildlife Trusts) and much more. Get out, find out and contribute.
Please feel free to contact Stanfree Valley if you fancy joining us on one of our walks. We tend to survey Stanfree woods area, Oxcroft site, Clowne Greenway (to Clowne / Poolsbrook, Creswell), Romeley and Stanfree Farm fields (footpaths).
See You soon!
Love From Stanfree Valley XXX
Stanfree Valley Preservation Group 