TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham will visit Guernsey to hold two performances at St James and to open Guernsey’s first BioBlitz.
Yvonne Burford, President of La Société Guernesiaise, commented:-
“La Société is absolutely delighted that Chris Packham has agreed to come to Guernsey for two performances on 13 and 14 May of his one-man show “Pictures from the Edge of the World”.
Chris is one of the UK’s leading naturalists and wildlife champions. Well-known for his work as a TV wildlife presenter, He has a passionate love of nature and the courage, determination and ability to campaign for and protect our wildlife. He is also a prolific writer and respected photographer. In ‘Pictures from the Edge of the World’ we get an insight into Chris’s mind as he travels the world to photograph and campaign for the protection of wildlife everywhere.
A brand-new website has been launched at www.societe.gg .
Chris Packham said:
“La Société́ plays a vital part in protecting and enhancing Guernsey’s natural environment and its biodiversity. I would encourage all islanders to join up as a member to enable this important work to continue.”
During Chris’s visit he has also offered to open Guernsey’s first ever BioBlitz on Tuesday 14 May.
A BioBlitz is an event which strives to record as many species as possible from a site in a single day. It helps us better understand our nature reserves but also provides an opportunity for schools and the wider public to search for, and record, our local wildlife.
Throughout the day expert recorders will be investigating everything from birds, moths, and bats to flowers, seaweeds and lichens. The public can drop in at any time to help with the search and find out more about Guernsey’s flora and fauna.
The event is a partnership between local organisations, including the Guernsey Biological Records Centre and La Société Guernesiaise.
Elizabeth Sweet, Manager of the Guernsey Biological Records Centre, commented:
“A BioBlitz is a great way for people to explore our natural spaces, discover and learn about nature.
The information we gather at this citizen science event is very important. Everyone’s observations will add to a living snapshot of what species are found where at this moment in time and combine into a baseline against which we can measure future change.
It can be used to improve our understanding of how species live, what they need and how they respond to environmental changes, human activities, conservation management or climate change. This knowledge is vital for informing conservation policy and land management decisions.”
Chris Packham and his team launched a campaign of BioBlitzes; In July 2018 they visited 50 sites across the UK to study the wildlife found and create a ‘Biodiversity Audit’ of Britain’s Countryside.
Julia Henney, Biodiversity Education Officer, commented:
“We are very excited to be hosting Guernsey’s first BioBlitz in May, and to have Chris Packham open the event will be a very special highlight!
“The BioBlitz is a great opportunity for the public and local schools to help us study our natural environment and it will also allow us to create a benchmark of the wildlife found in a site to help us better understand how Guernsey’s wildlife is faring.”
For more information about the event and how to get involved, follow @BiodiversityPartnership on facebook.
