Have a Wild Day out at Barton Broad

Families are invited to celebrate the International Day of Biodiversity and Go Wild at Barton Broad on Sunday 23 May by getting close up to nature and getting a taste of Broads’ activities.The free Go Wild event is organised by Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the Broads Authority at Barton Turf Adventure Centre between 11am and 5pm

It is part of the BBC’s Springwatch Wild Days Out initiative which aims to encourage people to take action to protect a wide range of species around the world.

Presenter Kate Humble says: “The Springwatch Wild Days Out are a great opportunity to learn more about the importance of biodiversity and to see what small thing you and your family can do for nature in your area.”

Families will be able to take part in a variety of wild outdoor activities bringing them in close contact with nature in the Broads.

They can try pond dipping and study their catch on video microscope, make mini beast homes, bird or butterfly feeders or bat boxes, learn how to dress reed and step out on wildlife nature trails.

The North Norfolk Worm Charming Championships organised by Coltishall and Horstead Pre-School promises to attract hot competition to charm the most worms out of the ground. The rules can be found on the Barton Turf Adventure Centre website.

East Norfolk Bird Ringers will be ringing reed and sedge warblers to learn more about their migratory routes and learn how to better protect them, while the Hawk and Owl Trust will carrying out pellet analysis.

The RSPB, British Trust for Ornithology, the British Dragonfly Society, Anglian Lepidopterists, Butterfly Conservation, Norfolk Amphibian and Reptile Group, Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists Group and a mollusc display will represent the diversity of wildlife interests. The Norfolk Biodiversity and Information Service will be recording wildlife seen on the day and the Environment Agency will have a display on ecology and angling.

The event offers opportunities to get out on the broad on a wide variety of boats. Visitors can go canoeing, sailing or take a trip aboard the Broads Authority’s solar boat Ra, Nancy Oldfield Trust’s electric boat White Admiral, the Museum of the Broads’ steam boat, Falcon, and Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s new electric launch Damselfly. Most of the trips cost £3 and can be booked on arrival. Falcon costs £2.50.

Meanwhile children will be able to listen to storytellers, watch an open air Nutmeg Puppet Show - ‘Pip’s Wildlife Garden’ and a historic re-enactment display, have their faces painted or try their hand at nature crafts. There are Springwatch prizes to be won and refreshments will be available.

Co-presenter Chris Packham says: “Springwatch is very good at empowering people to realise that they can make a difference – they can do things themselves and if they do the things in their garden that they ought to do, then that is four million gardens that are better places for wildlife.”

Biodiversity is about the huge variety of life on earth which provides us with the food, fuel, medicine and other things essential to our existence. Our fate is linked with biodiversity yet it is being lost because of human activities.

The United Nations proclaimed 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity, and people all over the world are working to safeguard this irreplaceable natural wealth and reduce biodiversity loss. The International Day of Biodiversity is on Saturday 22 May.