HomeRecording plants and wildlife
Over the next year, we will be surveying the wildlife in our parks because knowing what plants and animals are there helps us to take better care of them.
We will then send our results to the Centre for Environmental Data and Recording (CEDar), based in the Ulster Museum.
Recording species in this way helps to determine their status and decide whether they are under threat. Species which are common today may be gone tomorrow, and changes to plants and animals can also alert us to underlying problems with the environment.
You can get involved too - if you are a regular visitor to our parks, recording what you see, whether it's a bird, butterfly, badger or bumblebee, could help CEDar with their work.
And you don't need to be an expert to do it - instead, help is at hand at www.ispot.org.uk where specialists can help identify what you see.
You can then send your results to CEDaR - to do this, include a short description of what you have spotted, the name of the site or location, the date and your name in an Excel spreadsheet. You can also include any comments about your recordings.
Send your records to:
CEDaR
153 Bangor Road
Cultra, Co. Down
BT18 0EU
You can also email your findings to cedar.info@nmni.com
Even things you may think are ordinary could turn out to be special - for example, a new species to the UK was discovered when someone uploaded a picture of a fly to the iSpot website!
Why is biodiversity important?
Biodiversity is the total variety of life on Earth. It covers everything from people to plants and animals to micro-organisms, as well as genetic variation and habitats.It contributes to:
- the livelihood of many
- a healthier environment
- a better quality of life.
Find out more about why biodiversity is so important
