The Great CNHS Spring Garden Survey

As many of us spent more time at home than usual for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic, the CNHS committee thought we could use the opportunity to find out much more about the value of our gardens as refuges for wildlife. The information we put together could then be published (for example in Nature in North-East Essex – but still join in if you live in Suffolk!).

We are now ready to compile your records so list the species (wild flowers, mosses, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, butterflies, moths, bees, hoverflies, dragonflies, etc) that you have seen in (or from) your garden, and add any notes of interest. If you have photos still unidentified, use CNHS recorders (links in the menu on this website), facebook members, literature or internet to help with identifications. 

Please send the results of your survey to Ted Benton uding the email GardenSurvey@cnhs.uk. An example record is shown below. 

1. Details of the garden (approx. size, layout: trees, shrubs, grass/ lawn, flower beds, paths etc.) Do you have a pond, feed birds, have a bug hotel, etc?). Map reference to 1km square or address. 

2. Surrounding area. Rural, urban, suburban? Nature of neighbouring gardens? Closest green space?

3. Species seen. List name of species, and any notes: is there a breeding population, or just a ‘visitor’? If the latter, what resource is it getting (eg materials for making a nest)? How many of them did you see (over a given period of time)? what were the first and last dates seen? Weather conditions?