Help us survey Binfield's nature

If you want to do something to help our beleaguered nature, then have a go at surveying.  Recording our local nature is as important now as ever.  To quote Joni Mitchell, without this data it seems “That you don't know what you've got.  Till it's gone.”  Up to date records can help make sure that development in our area is appropriate. Even in our crowded corner of England rare species make their homes and new species are being discovered.  Surveying nature also helps us connect with nature and engage others with that nature. 

There are lots of ways to get involved and plenty of tools to help.  To find the ones that are most relevant to you, think about what is important to you and why.  For example, you might decide that you want to learn more about butterflies and fill in gaps in local butterfly records.  In which case, I’d recommend the iRecord Butterfly app.

Nature apps can be grouped as identification apps or recording (surveying) apps, although there is an increasing overlap between the two groups.  Both groups can be sub-divided into: generalists (e.g. iNaturalist or Google Lens); species group specific (e.g. iRecord Butterfly); or species specific (e.g. Big Hedgehog Map or Swiftmapper)

If you want to survey lots of different species groups and need help identifying individual species then try iNaturalist.  If you already use iNaturalist then have a go at helping others identify things through the app.

Local iNaturalist users can also join me in taking part in the City Nature Challenge 2026 (City Nature Challenge). I will be doing some surveying in a local wildlife site that is currently under-recorded and may be at threat from development, but all records in our area will be useful.

If you want to know how to get started in conservation volunteering or to find out more about biodiversity surveying then please have a look at my latest blog here - https://ecoworrier133969581.wordpress.com/2026/03/30/conservation-volunteering-in-2026/.