This year’s Wild About Jersey event is themed around becoming involved in wildlife monitoring projects around the Island and will take place on the weekend of 23rd and 24th of April 2016, at Highland’s College, St Saviour.
This event is open to everyone so whether you are interested in learning more about local wildlife; you are an existing volunteer or would like to learn about becoming a volunteer for the first time we hope you can join us.
There is no cost for the weekend and lunch and refreshments are included (however, do let us know if you have any special dietary requirements). You can attend as little or as much as you would like to, however, as places are limited booking is essential and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Please fill in the booking form here, clearly stating the names of those attending and return it to Julia Meldrum at J.Meldrum@gov.je no later than Friday 15th April.
Programme – Saturday 23rd April 2016
09:00 – 09:15 Steve Luce, Minister for the Environment – ‘Welcome / Introduction’.
09:15 – 09:30 Key Note speaker – TBC
09:30 – 10:00 Dr Tim Wright – Botany Section Société Jersiaise – Plants Count – recording plant diversity in Jersey
10:00 – 10:30 Julia Meldrum & Allison Caldeira – Jersey Conservation Volunteers – Mud, sweat and cake – what it takes to be a conservation volunteer.
Break 10:30-11:00
11:00 – 11:30 Dr Glyn Young & Tony Paintin – Durrell & Société Jersiaise – Why do we count birds? Bird monitoring projects in Jersey
11:30 – 12:00 Kevin Mcllwee – Jersey Seasearch – Polka on the Rocks.
12:00 – 12:30 Helen Miler – Bat Conservation Trust – An Introduction to Bats.
Lunch 12:30-13:30
Workshops (choose one)
13:30 – 15:30 – Jersey Bird Monitoring – Dr Glyn Young & Tony Paintin
Basic techniques in bird monitoring methods and instruction on how to carry out a bird survey transect. There will be a field element to this workshop by carrying out a transect.
or
13:30 – 15:30 – Bat Conservation Trust – Helen Miler The Importance for Woodland for Jersey Bats.
Identifying the importance of Jersey’s woodlands for bats including the opportunities for roosting, foraging and commuting and how different species use woodland and why. Sensitive woodland management for bats will also be explored. There will be a field element to this workshop visiting a local woodland, to put into practice what has been discussed and to look for potential roost features in trees.
Programme – Sunday 24th April 2016
09:00- 09:30 Dr Richard Comont – Bumblebee Conservation – Monitoring the plight of the bumblebee
09:30 – 10:00 Bob Tompkins – Barn Owl Conservation Network Jersey – Talons all about it – helping local barn owls
10:00 – 10:30 Dr Paul Chambers – Natural Environment Officer States of Jersey – Winging it: the Jersey’s Butterfly Monitoring Scheme.
Break 10:30-11:00
11:00 – 11:30 Dr John Wilkinson – Amphibian and Reptile Conservation – Here Toady Gone Tomorrow? An update on Toadwatch and NARRS
11:30 – 12:00 Rob Ward – University of Kent – Ghosts in the grass: the secret lives of grass snakes and slow-worms
12:00 – 12:30 Nick Aubin – Biodiversity Officer – Jersey Biodiversity Centre (JBC) – Dolphins to dung beetles – role of the JBC.
Lunch 12:30-13:30
Workshops (choose one)
13:30 – 15:30 – National Amphibian Monitoring Group – Dr John Wilkinson & Rob Ward
Training in amphibian and reptile identification, habitat assessment, survey methods, recording, health & safety. Including advanced skills for grass snake surveys: highlighting the issues in detecting grass snakes in Jersey and how to improve your chances of finding them. We will provide guidance on what data should be collected if you find one, and training on how to do so.
or
13:30 – 15:30 – Jersey Butterfly Monitoring Scheme – Dr Paul Chambers & Richard Perchard
Basic techniques for the identification and monitoring of Jersey’s butterflies and bumblebees. Attendees will learn how to spot and identify common species and how to count them when walking along one of our transects. These are simple biological monitoring techniques that are used across the world and which will allow people to enjoy nature while also contributing to our understanding of it.
