Get ready, Somerset! It's time once again for The Big Count 2023, your annual opportunity to become a bona fide citizen scientist, courtesy of the Somerset Wildlife Trust.

This dynamic, community-focused event beckons you to step out into your gardens, parks, workplaces, and communities and engage with the captivating wildlife around you.

The Big Count isn't just about appreciating the beauty of Somerset's nature; it's about contributing to our understanding of it. The data you collect about our native species will play a key role in shaping strategies to halt species decline. So, dust off your binoculars, lace up your boots, and get ready to explore!

This year, the Big Count takes place from June 16th to June 25th, and the trust is proud to have Southern Co-op's support.

They invite you to record your encounters with the wild on the easy-to-use iNaturalist citizen science platform. From the graceful goldfinch to the darting dragonflies, the secretive spiders to a colourful cornucopia of butterflies - we want to hear about them all. Everyone is welcome, making this the perfect activity for families, friends, schools, and community groups. Your sightings will instantly light up the iNaturalist map, creating a real-time visual representation of the shared efforts.

To help you on your adventure, they've prepared a free downloadable pack available on the Somerset Wildlife Trust website. It's packed full of handy tips and information to turn you into a wildlife-spotting wizard.

This fun-filled, exploratory event is a core component of the broader Great Somerset Wildlife Count initiative. It's a collaboration between Somerset Wildlife Trust and the Somerset Environmental Records Centre (SERC), a storehouse of over 2.5 million species records. However, even with these impressive numbers, there are gaps to fill. That's where you, and The Big Count 2023, come in!

Simon Clarke, Head of Nature Recovery at Somerset Wildlife Trust, can't contain his excitement. "Last year was incredible! We logged nearly 1,000 species records during The Big Count 2022," he said.

"We're ready to break records this year, and we need everyone's help to do it. This is an easy and enjoyable way to get in touch with nature. We need every pair of eyes we can get – spread the word and let's make this the biggest Big Count yet!"

Gemma Lacey, Southern Co-op's Director for Sustainability and Communications, added, "This is an enjoyable and straightforward way to connect with your local wildlife, helping you discover the magic of nature that's always within your reach.

"Let's rise to the challenge together and fill the data gap identified by the Somerset Wildlife Trust. Our collective effort will support informed decisions for the recovery of our natural environment."

Ready to join the adventure?

1. Visit www.somersetwildlife.org/bigcount2023 and download your FREE digital wildlife discovery pack.

2. Create an iNaturalist account at www.inaturalist.org or via the iNaturalist or Seek app.

3. Let the count begin! Explore as many different places as you can, and encourage others to join the fun.

4. Congratulations - you've made a crucial contribution to understanding Somerset's wildlife trends!

And don't forget to tag @SomersetWT and @somersetERC in your social media updates and use the hashtag #BigCount2023. Happy counting!