Earthworm Sampling Day

Join like-minded people with an interest in recording wildlife observations for a day surveying earthworms. The specimens collected will help us to build up an earthworm species list for the site and all records will be added to the National Earthworm Recording Scheme database. Sampling earthworms involves conducting microhabitat searches and hand-sorting soil pit samples to collect specimens for identification by our trained earthworm recorders at a later date.

What will the day involve?

• Practical experience using a variety of methods to survey and sample earthworms.
• Practical experience in collecting and preserving earthworm specimens.
• A chance to meet fellow like-minded people from a range of different disciplines.

Earthworm Specialist: Keiron Derek Brown

Keiron has been running the National Earthworm Recording Scheme since it was launched in 2014. He has run over 100 earthworm training courses and events since 20214, covering a wide range of subjects including biology, ecology, surveying, identification and recording. He is currently authoring a Provisional Earthworm Conservation Status Assessment for the UK on behalf of Natural England.

Foxglove Covert Field Centre

The field centre is located on Foxglove Covert Local Nature Reserve, located on Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire, England and is on the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales. The reserve was created in 1992 by The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards who had just returned from the First Gulf War. It has a range of habitats, including wetlands, moorland, heathland and grassland.

As the site is within Catterick Garrison, visitors must have photographic identification in order to pass through the military checkpoint on the site. Parking is available and costs £3 per car.

We'll be outside for most of the day so please bring suitable clothing for all types of weather and please bring your lunch and any snacks you will require with you on the day.

More information is available on the reserve website: https://www.foxglovecovert.org.uk/

This event is delivered by the Biological Recording Company on behalf of Tees-Swale: Naturally Connected and is endorsed by the Earthworm Society of Britain

Tees-Swale: Naturally Connected is led by the North Pennines AONB Partnership and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.