The conservation charity has already received evidence through its "Nature's Calendar" website of snowdrops and daffodils blooming, as well as silver birch, oak and hazel trees' buds bursting. Data recorded by the public will add weight to the Trust's already vast resource of information on how trees and woods play a role in the natural environment, supporting its goal of creating a country rich in native trees and woods.

Dr Kate Lewthwaite from the Woodland Trust said: "Our native plants and trees are great indicators of wider changes in the natural world. By recording budburst and flowers blooming the public can help us determine whether these changes are having a major effect on how Mother Nature functions. Despite what people may think, in recent years it has become more commonplace to see daffodils and snowdrops in late December and early January as the climate warms."

The Trust is gathering data to assess the arrival of spring in comparison to previous years, to analyse whether the trend of native flora appearing earlier will continue in 2012. Early flowering species such as snowdrop and lesser celandine are particularly useful in giving an indicator of climactic conditions. The Trust is also looking for evidence of frogspawn to see whether frogs are being fooled into spawning early, as if this was followed by freezing weather it could lead do frozen spawn in ponds up and down the country.

Labels: Category:General,

0 Comments

Add A Comment

Your Name(*):
Comment(*):
Captcha Image:
Code in the picture: