BioBlitz to record Kirrie's natural world

The Kirriemuir BioBlitz this weekend will feature a programme of fun activities, with the serious purpose of helping to record how nature is changing.

Flora and fauna in and around the Kirrie area will come under the microscope this weekend – and the local public is being invited to help explore what they have on their doorstep.

Starting on Friday and running until Sunday, Sustainable Kirriemuir’s BioBlitz is challenging nature lovers to a collaborative race against the clock to discover as many species of plants, animals and fungi as possible, within a set location, over a defined time period.

The organisation’s volunteers and staff have assembled wildlife experts and nature enthusiasts from across Scotland who will be carrying out intensive wildlife surveys, and leading fun, informative guided walks and activity sessions for all ages throughout the weekend.

Well-known locations to be investigated include The Den, Kirrie Hill, Kate’s Wood, the Gairie Burn and more.

A spokesperson said: “No need to be an expert, just book a ticket, turn up and celebrate the wonder of biodiversity here on your doorstep in Angus.

“There are plenty of activities in store and a host of local experts on hand. We’ll have moth-trapping, fungi forays, bat walks, tree and plant ID walks and much more.

“At our Nature Hub at Northmuir Hall on Saturday, between 10am and 4pm, there will be a lot of hands-on activities to get involved in from dissecting owl pellets to building bug hotels.

“All the events and guided walks are free. We’d like as many people to get involved as possible.”

Although the weekend will feature fun activities, the exercise does have a serious purpose at both a local and national level.

The records gathered will be passed on to Local Records Centres, national recording schemes as well as to the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

These will help researchers and policy-makers to know how nature is changing and how it can be helped to thrive.

The programme, and details on how to sign up as well as information about Sustainable Kirriemuir’s other activities, are available on its website at www.sustainablekirriemuir.co.uk.