Guernsey Press

Keep an eye on our climate

ISLANDERS are being urged to help monitor local climate change.

Published

ISLANDERS are being urged to help monitor local climate change. Anything from spotting the first swallow in spring to flowering times of plants can indicate the phenomenon.

The Commerce and Employment Department is gathering data and aims to publish the findings to show what has happened to the island's climate in the last 30 years.

'Several local people have already provided information that they've recorded each year,' said department agricultural advisor Andrew Casebow.

'For instance, somebody has been calculating flowering dates of wild flowers in his garden over the last 30 years.'

Another person has monitored the dates of Cox's orange pippin apples and even the dates they dig potatoes each year.

'If anybody has kept that kind of information and is willing to let us use it, I'd be very grateful if they'd get in touch with me,' said Mr Casebow.

Booklets are available to record data, or alternatively people can use the Internet.

A Woodland Trust website now includes the Channel Islands in its live interactive maps showing how species spread during the year.

And it has set up a Nature Detectives website, aimed at teachers, parents and under-18s, that also gives information on what to look out for each month.

'The idea is to really raise awareness of the indicators of climate change in Guernsey and it would be wonderful if teachers took it up, especially for the spring.'

Mr Casebow added that it was a great opportunity for parents and their children to get out into the countryside and spot changes.

'People can go onto the website and put in their own information and see how it spreads throughout the country,' he added.

'Guernsey is often one of the earliest places so you can see your entry go onto the map and two or three weeks later watch it spread up the country as other people record it.'

Mr Casebow can be contacted on 235741. To log online go to:

www.naturedetectives.org.uk

or www.phenology.org.uk

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