This June, Somerset Wildlife Trust hosted its biggest citizen science event of the year, The Big Count, and an incredible 1,400 people from across Somerset signed up to help the Trust learn more about their local wildlife.

The count took place between June 16^th – 25^th, and this year was sponsored by Southern Co-op. It challenged participants to get outside and help collect vital information about the wildlife on their doorsteps, in their parks, and outside their schools and workplaces. An annual event, the count is part of the Trust’s Great Somerset Wildlife Count initiative, which, launched back in 2021, is all about encouraging more people to connect with nature, while also asking them to gather important data on Somerset’s wildlife — all with the help of iNaturalist, a popular site for wildlife spotting and identification.

The Trust first launched The Big Count last year, when just over 600 people took part and helped record nearly 1,000 records of species including goldfinches, butterflies, snails, and spiders. This year, the number of participants more than doubled, which, as Kirby Everett, Head of Communications at Somerset Wildlife Trust explains, is exciting news for both the charity and Somerset’s wildlife:

“This is only the second year we’ve hosted The Big Count, and to see so much enthusiasm and desire to help Somerset’s wildlife is absolutely fantastic. The data participants have helped collect will allow us to better understand some of Somerset’s often underrated species, letting us know what is present, where, and how those populations might change over time. We’re extremely grateful to everyone who took part in the event this year, as well as of course our wonderful friends at Southern Co-op for sponsoring this year’s count and helping us make it such a success!”

Holly Bramble, Community Lead at Southern Co-op, said: “We’re proud to have supported Somerset Wildlife Trust in this important citizen science initiative. At Southern Co-op, we believe in the power of connecting with nature and preserving wildlife. By encouraging more people to get involved and collect valuable data about Somerset’s wildlife, we can contribute to a better understanding of the local ecosystem.

“Our retail and funeral colleagues are dedicated to serving their local communities and promoting environmental conservation, and we are thrilled to be part of this successful event.”

The next citizen science event run under the Great Somerset Wildlife Count initiative will be The Fantastic Fungi Focus, which is scheduled to take place in October half term. In the meantime, you can find out more about citizen science and events like The Big Count on the Somerset Wildlife Trust website: www.somersetwildlife.org/get-involved/citizen-science