October 2016
Thirty-nine new species of bugs, flies, mammals, moths, spiders and plants have been recorded in Whitley Bay’s Brierdene Wildlife Site thanks to our support.
The recording took place during the annual Bio Blitz event organised by community organisation the Friends of Brierdene. We have recently opened a development named Brierdene in North Tyneside and sponsored the event, which saw more than 60 people attend the daytime Bio Blitz and the after-dark Moth Night events.
With help from experts including county moth recorder Tom Tams, members of the local community together recorded more than 200 species that grow, creep, crawl, swim or fly in the Brierdene, with the total number recorded now standing at 915.
The star species recorded was a Bank Vole, which has been seen before but Veronica Carnell of the Northumberland Mammal Society also found burrows and surface runs of a Field Vole which has not been sighted before.
The Environmental Records Information Centre (ERIC) based at the Great North Museum in Newcastle was on hand to record the results for use in nature conservation of the natural environment for the future.
Peter Brown, chairman of Friends of Brierdene, said: “As a community group we work hard to ensure that the biodiversity of Brierdene is conserved and enhanced for the benefit of present and future generations.”
“We are all volunteers and rely on funding to help us carry out the work that we do in Brierdene. It has been great to have the support from Story Homes this year to help us run the community Bio Blitz event, which has been a great success.”
Ian Worgan, managing director of Story Homes in the North East, said: “Story Homes is committed to supporting charities and community groups in the areas around its developments. We are very pleased to have been able to support Friends of Brierdene which does fantastic work to conserve the wildlife centre for everyone to enjoy.”
We are committed to supporting charities and community groups in the areas around our developments.
