In this project we teamed up with RECORD to offer a series of volunteer training days focusing on species identification and wildlife recording, specific to the Saltscape area. Volunteers received training in the identification and surveying of mammals, butterflies, reptiles and dragonflies. They then joined teams across the valley carrying out wildlife surveys to help Saltscape and RECORD build up a better picture of biodiversity in our unique salt landscape.

Recording wildlife is vital to understand the constant changes within our natural environment. Without regular wildlife recording it would be impossible to answer even the most basic of conservation management questions such as “To what extent has the species declined in the last year?” and “when the species was first found in the area?”

Every record is important, whether it be a record of a common daisy or an elusive water vole. All wildlife records, common or rare, increase the knowledge and understanding we have of an area. Support decision making at a local, national and international level and is the first step to effective conservation of a rare landscape such as Saltscape.