ENGLISH NATURE - Autumnwatch

Introduction

Autumnwatch is the biggest survey ever into the arrival of autumn across the UK. It's run by the BBC in association with the Woodland Trust and the UK Phenology Network.

English Nature fully support Autumnwatch and want to encourage as many people as possible to get involved with the survey. Why don't you and your family take part and do your bit to help build a picture of UK climate change? You don't have to be an expert - all you need to do is keep a look out and record your sightings of any of the following six autumn events;

1) First ripe blackberry

2) First ripe conker

3) Last swift

4) First flowering of ivy

5) First ripe hawthorn berry

6) First tint of oak

Submitting information about the first signs of autumn will help to build a complete picture of the season as it unfolds across the UK . This will help climate change scientists understand how autumn is changing and what needs to be done to help wildlife thrive in the UK. This is especially important as there is currently little autumn data available to scientists.

Make a note of the date and the grid reference or postcode where you see any of the events for the first time, or in the case of swifts, for the last time. You can submit your results on-line by visiting

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/wildbritain/autumnwatch/record

Autumnwatch results will be revealed in a one-off programme on BBC 2 called Wild Autumn with Bill Oddie, which follows this year's hugely successful Springwatch with Bill Oddie.

For more information about the Autumnwatch with Bill Oddie series visit the BBC UK wildlife website

Springwatch

There are more than 15 million gardens in the UK which provide important homes for wildlife. You and your family can transform your home garden or local community garden into a wildlife haven by simply providing food, shelter and water for wildlife.

To find out more about how you and your family can make a real difference and help wildlife thrive, take a look at our range of wildlife-friendly gardening leaflets listed below or visit the Nature in your garden section of this website.

Plants for wildlife-friendly gardens
Wildlife-friendly gardening: a general guide
Minibeasts in the garden
Wildflower meadows: how to create one in your garden
Composting and peat-free gardening
Amphibians in your garden - your questions answered
Reptiles in your garden - your questions answered
Focus on bats: discovering their lifestyle and habits
Garden ponds and boggy areas - havens for wildlife
The leaflets listed above are free and available from English Nature on 0870 1214 177 or from [email protected].
Help save the bumblebee...get more buzz from your garden
This leaflet is free and available from English Nature on 01733 455100 or from [email protected].

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National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are key places for nature conservation - the majority of NNRs have some form of access but to make it easier for visitors we have "spotlighted" 35 reserves that offer the best opportunities to experience wildlife and the countryside.

To help visitors understand and enjoy them better we are organising a range of activities on NNRs over the coming months. Click here to find out what guided walks and events are happening near you.

Alternatively, transport yourself to the sunny, flower-filled slopes of one of England's finest National Nature Reserves, take in the sights, smells, sounds and feel of Lathkill Dale NNR with our virtual tour.

English Nature has over 1,000 volunteers across the country, offering help on National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, providing expert advice on protected species to members of the public and helping with projects or administration in Area Teams. Find out more about volunteering for English Nature.