Resources available from the

Opal project

Adam Bates

Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Birmingham,

Birmingham, UK

Austin Court, Birmingham – 17th September 2011

• Opal stands for Open Air

Laboratories

• ~£15million Big Lottery funding for a

national project with regional support

across England

• Aims to help people explore,

understand, protect & enjoy their

local green spaces

• Main theme is to do this through

scientific enquiry six Opal surveys

• Lots of on-line resources available

supporting natural history groups &

natural history education

An introduction to Opal

• Useful for all age groups & abilities

• Can just be used as useful

information resources or can take

part in the survey

• We are interested in everybody’s

results

• Results can be returned on-line or

by freepost

• Data analysed up to the project end

October 2012 used to create a

state of the environment report

• On-line resources available for

download indefinitely

The six Opal surveys

Why submit information on-line?

• Works best in the spring & autumn

when the ground is neither too dry or

frozen

• How do the physical properties of soil

influence the distribution of different

species of worm?

• Resources include:

– A photo guide to the identification

of 12 species of worm

– A method for measuring soil

texture

– Background information about the

importance of soils & earthworms

Earthworms & Soil Survey

• Any season but lichens more

difficult to identify when very wet

• Trees in sunny situations

• Uses lichens as indicators of air

quality (nitrogen pollution)

• Another activity looking at tar spot

on Sycamore

• Resources include:

– An identification guide to 9 types

of lichen with varying nitrogen

sensitivities

– Background information on air

pollution & biological indicators

Air Quality (Lichen) Survey

• Works in any season but poorer

returns in mid-summer & winter

• Any pond that can be dipped

safely

• Uses pond invertebrates as

biological indicators of pond health

• Includes:

– Photo identification guide to

tolerant, sensitive &

intermediate pond

invertebrates

– Small guides to amphibians,

odonata & duckweeds

Pond Survey

• Tailored for autumn, but parts

useful in spring & summer as well

• Any hedge will do

• How does hedgerow management

influence the production of nuts and

berries?

• Includes:

– A guide to 12 species of food

producing hedgerow plants

– Techniques for assessing the

management regime of a hedge

– A mini-guide to invertebrates

Biodiversity (Hedgerow) Survey

http://hedgelink.org.uk/

• Any season, different activities for

different weather conditions

• How does the landscape influence

the wind we feel?

• What factors influence our own

thermal comfort?

• Includes:

– Cloud identification chart

– Methods for measuring wind

speed & direction in the sky & at

ground level

– Methods for measuring thermal

comfort

Weather Survey

• For the spring, summer or autumn

• Can be done anywhere –

invertebrates on soft ground, on

vegetation, or on human-made

hard surfaces

• How does urbanization affect the

abundance & diversity of

invertebrates?

• Includes:

– An identification guide to 6 key

species

– An identification guide to

different invertebrate groups

Bugs Count Survey

Societies web page http://www.opalexplorenature.org/NaturalHistorySocieties

• Setting up a natural history

group

• Creating an effective website

• Running public events

• Funding sources available

• How to record wildlife

• How to run a bioblitz

• Example photo consent form

• Example photocall notice

• Example press release

• Example risk assessment

• Media toolkit for societies

Societies web page - guidance

• Range of activities

aimed at sparking

children’s interest e.g.

– How to paint with soil

– Nature quizzes

– Word searches

Kids zone web page

• Identification resource for birds,

invertebrates, fish, amphibians &

reptiles, mammals, plants, fungi &

lichens

• 65 natural history societies represented

e.g.

– Bees, Wasps & Ants Recording

Society

– British Lichen Society

– Hoverfly Recording Scheme

– The Mammal Society

– Shark Trust

http://www.ispot.org.uk/

http://www.ispot.org.uk/

How to get in touch

Contact details for each region available here e.g. team@opalwestmidlands.org