24-hour wildlife discovery event comes to Fewston Reservoir

Yorkshire Water is hosting a 24-hour “BioBlitz” event, in which customers can discover and identify a range of wildlife, at Fewston Reservoir on 24 and 25 July.  

A BioBlitz is a community-driven, citizen-science event where volunteers set out to record as many species as possible in a set location in a given timeframe.  

Monitoring and recording animals, plants, and fungi in this way helps to aid understanding of what is happening in the local environment. 

David Spencer, lead ranger at Yorkshire Water, said: “Whether you are an expert or a complete beginner, this is a great opportunity to take a closer look at the natural world around you, and support your local environment.  

“Nature is facing increasing pressure, on both a global and local scale, and the more that we know, the more we can make smart decisions about how we manage our land to better protect the wildlife within it. We’ll use all the information that we gather to support our conservation efforts at Fewston.” 

Across 24 hours, Yorkshire Water rangers and partner experts will help guide participants through the different habitats and species found at the reservoir.  

Data recorded during the event will be used by Yorkshire Water and also shared with local and national databases to help track ecosystems, monitor species in decline, and guide conservation efforts.  

The event kicks off on Friday 24 July at 8.45pm with a bat survey running until 11pm. On Saturday, a bird survey will begin at 7.30am. Throughout the event, there will be pond dipping, and surveys on moths, butterflies, bees and wasps, dragonflies, and woodland flora.  

The event is open to everyone and is designed to be welcoming and accessible. Anyone wishing to join should register their interest and arrive at the Swinsty Moor Car Park.