Discover fossils, prehistoric finds and other ancient artefacts from the Isle of Wight, Solent area and beyond at this special event on Saturday 16th October at Dinosaur Isle, Sandown.

See our events section for more details.

The Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) Network has launched the latest of their series of ‘citizen science’ surveys, focusing on biodiversity. Led by The Open University, the survey aims to find out more about wildlife in hedges, by asking people to identify what lives in them and record what they find.

Hedges support many animals by providing them with food and shelter. Berries and seeds are food for birds, while holes beneath the hedge are often home to small mammals. You’ll also discover caterpillars, shieldbugs and many other invertebrates living among the leaves.

The survey is open to anyone and everyone, with a free survey kit available from the OPAL website. The kit contains all the information you need identify the hedge plant species and insects you might find while completing the survey.

Read the full story here.
Find out more and download the survey pack here.

A research project is now underway on the Island to find out whether conservation projects succesfully raise public awareness.

Gift to Nature, an Island based conservation charity commissioned the survey after co-ordinating an area called ‘The Hive’ (also known as the Give Bees a Chance tent) at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2009 and 2010. The aim of The Hive was to raise awareness on the plight of our native bees as well as providing a welcome green oasis for festival revellers.

If you have been along to the IW Festival in the past couple of years, please take a moment to complete this survey.

Picture: Honey bee by Cat James

Two special concerts are being organised in Ventnor by the IW branch of Butterfly Conservation to raise money to benefit the Island's wonderful butterflies.

Find out more and read the full story in the events blog

Come and celebrate the beauty and biodiversity of one of the Island's rarest habitats at the Isle of Wight Heathlands Week 6th - 12th September.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust will be running several special events over the course of next week at sites across the Island giving you the chance to explore and find out more about some of our hidden heathland treasures....

Visit the events section to find out more