Hidden Redesdale is a new wildlife recording project led by Wild Intrigue, supported by Revitalising Redesdale, the Heritage Lottery Fund and ERIC North East.
Wildlife within the region of Redesdale, Northumberland, is largely under recorded, so species present are unable to receive the protection and conservation they require. Records are currently significantly lacking for a diversity of indicator species; there are only a handful of records of Otter, Bat species, and Moths across the whole of Redesdale.
Through the Hidden Redesdale project, the communities of Redesdale will have direct, free access to the specialist training and equipment required to contribute to surveying, identifying and, most importantly, recording species with the local environmental records information centre (ERIC North East).
The project will comprise of three main areas to survey ‘hidden’ wildlife; i.e. species which may elude the community without the use of specialist equipment. These will be a series of camera trapping, bat detecting and moth trapping events coordinated and led by Wild Intrigue. Following completion of each training event, members of the community will have access to an equipment loan scheme – the first of it’s kind for the region – where they will be able to loan camera traps, bat detectors, moth traps and identification resources for use in their gardens or approved land, all for free.
An important aspect of Hidden Redesdale is that it remains as inclusive as much as possible as Wild Intrigue believes that an appreciation for, and right to conserve, wildlife should be available to all. The training sessions and equipment loan schemes will therefore be led on a volunteer basis, with members of the Redesdale Community able to access each aspect of the project for free.
Camera trap photographs will be uploaded onto a new Hidden Redesdale Project with MammalWeb, coordinated by the University of Durham and Durham Wildlife Trust. There, members of the community will have access to all footage undertaken throughout the project, and can contribute to identifying species – this is a platform that enables all to be included in the project.
A Hidden Redesdale webpage and Facebook Group (accessible through Wild Intrigue’s Facebook page) will be set up for those involved to keep up to date with events and progress throughout the year. These will frequently feature engaging videos and photographs of wildlife, as well as vlogs to connect and educate the community about the nature on their doorstep through social media.
The project will run throughout 2019, with launch events to be held in Bellingham and Otterburn on 26thand 27thApril 2019.
Events will soon be launched and will be listed on wildintrigue.co.uk/hidden-redesdale. Those interested in the Hidden Redesdale project can contact the team at info@hiddenredesdale.co.uk
Heather & Cain
