Has Sir David Attenborough’s recent series, Wild Isles, made you want to get out into your local countryside and enjoy the wildlife on our doorsteps? If so, the Upper Thames Branch of Butterfly Conservation has organised a programme of free guided walks throughout the spring and summer. It covers locations right across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, so there should be something nearby for you to enjoy.
Butterfly Conservation work to help restore biodiversity, mitigate the climate crisis, and rebuild the vital kinship between people and the natural world. Their President, Sir David, has spent nearly 70 years informing us and entertaining us with wildlife from around the globe. His latest series has seen him explore some of the extraordinary wildlife of Britain and Ireland.
He comments: “I can assure you that nature in these islands can be just as dramatic and spectacular as anything I’ve seen elsewhere. The State of the UK’s Butterflies report recently revealed the alarming news that 80% of butterflies in the UK have declined since the 1970s. Decreases in butterfly populations on this scale are a huge cause for concern as butterflies and moths are an integral part of the UK’s ecosystem. Their decline is a clear warning signal of the wider biodiversity crisis.”
Encounters with butterflies and moths are now infrequent for many people, but Volunteer Guided Walk Leaders from Butterfly Conservation will help you to get good views of the butterflies and day-flying moths, and identify the species. Their commentary will include details on the organisation’s work as well as information about butterflies life cycles, food-plants and history.
Volunteer Coordinator Peter Philp: “We can’t wait to share our enthusiasm and excitement for all things butterfly and moth. These guided walks offer the chance for members of the public to take a look at their local green spaces in a whole new way…”
For full details of the guided walks visit upperthames-butterflies.org.uk/guided_walks
