Residents of Birmingham and the Black Country will be pitted against the rest of the world in an upcoming nature challenge.

This week (Friday 26 to Monday, April 29) the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust are participating in the annual City Nature Challenge, and encouraging people in the area to help make the region an exemplar of urban biodiversity.

Through the global competition, over 500 city regions across the globe vie for the top spot in wildlife spotting.

 

 

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Residents can do their bit by snapping a photo of anything from a dandelion in their garden to a rare bird at a nearby nature reserve.

Every person that sends in a snap contributes to the region's position in the international ranks.

The trust has said that the easiest way to make your records count is to use the free iNaturalist app, which requires users to snap a photo of a plant or animal, before not only identifying the species but also sending the record straight to the competition.

The challenge can inform participants about community ecosystems, acting as both a competition and an educational opportunity.

Besides the challenge, the trust will also host a series of free City Nature Challenge events.

Various activities at locations including the jewellery quarter cemeteries, Birmingham botanical gardens, and the Centre of the Earth headquarters welcome the public to make some wildlife discoveries.

Entering for the fifth year, Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton recorded 11,828 observations of 1,355 species in the 2023 challenge, becoming the top UK city region for wildlife observations and the seventh leading city in Europe.

James Benwell, senior communications and marketing officer at the Wildlife Trust, said: "Birmingham and the Black Country is home to a wealth of stunning and fascinating wildlife just waiting to be discovered.

"From wild orchids to legless lizards, you would be amazed at the life, beauty and colour that we have on our doorstep, and The City Nature Challenge is the perfect opportunity to encourage everyone across the region to get out there and find it."