RSPB Homes for Wildlife project

Here is information about two biodiversity projects that the RSPB are running.
The first is Homes for Wildlife, which aims to
inspire people to do more for wildlife in their gardens. The RSPB are
hoping attend events in Edinburgh's parks this summer with the aim of
further promoting this project in Edinburgh. The second, Wildsquare,
encourages children to look at the wildlife in a kilometre square near
where they live (which could include your park).


Homes for Wildlife is an exciting new RSPB activity, which aims to inspire people to make a real difference for the wildlife in their gardens. We hope to encourage thousands of people across the UK to make their homes and gardens richer in wildlife by following simple wildlife gardening advice. Whether you have a small window box or a large garden, you can help a range of birds, mammals and insects.

The RSPB has produced a special 35 section Homes for Wildlife pack, full of tips and hints to make your garden a wonderful place for wildlife. You can apply for your free pack by completing a Homes for Wildlife project card or you can register online - www.rspb.org.uk/hfw. Our website allows you to receive tailored wildlife-gardening advice and details of surveys you can take part in.

In Edinburgh we have been promoting Homes for Wildlife at garden centres and at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh and would like to also reach people visiting City parks. Karen Hay from the Parks and Greenspace Service has told us that some of the Friends of Groups hold events which we might be able to attend.

Could you let us know if your group have any special events planned between April and September that you would be happy for us to attend? If you don’t have any events planned for spring or summer, our Homes for Wildlife Officer may be able to work with you to develop and organise an event. We are also looking into the possibility of developing a presentation on the project as part of our Community Talks programme so please contact us if you would like us to speak to your group members.

Finally, Edinburgh Council have very kindly set up a link from their website to ours; we would be very grateful if those of you who have websites could also set up a link (www.rspb.org.uk/hfw). Please contact Nicola Bell if you can help us promote Homes for Wildlife or would like more information about the project - nicola.bell@rspb.org.uk (0131 311 6500). Thanks very much for your support.

Wildsquare – RSPB project for children
RSPB runs Wildsquare, an exciting project for children which fits very well with the Biodiversity module of Eco Schools. It aims to get children to look at the wildlife in a one kilometre square near to where they live or go to school and carry our surveys and other activities using the RSPB Wildlife Explorer web pages. There are indoor and outdoor activity sheets to do throughout the year plus extra surveys that they will announce through the news update page. Once children take part in a survey they can tell the RSPB what they have seen in their Wildsquare.

The website currently features information from the Nuts and Berries survey and they are planning on holding mammal and butterfly surveys in the coming months. Your class can take part in all of these activities by registering on the RSPB website - www.rspb.org.uk/wildsquare. Each child will then be sent a wildlife calendar, stickers and a special ring binder where they can store all of their activity sheets.