THE Yorkshire Dales National Park is an area rich in wildlife and all sorts of wildflowers. From wading birds at Grimwith Reservoir, to rare flowers at Grass Wood, Grassington, there is plenty to see. The park authority is due to start carrying out vital survey work, and it needs our help. Lesley Tate reports.

STUDENTS, families and anyone with a keen interest in insects,birds, flowers and fauna, are being asked to help the Yorkshire Dales National Park with vital surveys.

There are several places in the dales where people can go to see wild flowers, and all sorts of birds, from birds of prey to waders, including Grass Wood at Grassington, Grimwith Reservoir, near Hebden, and the Bolton Abbey Estate.

And, in order to make the most of, and to understand its wildlife, the park is carrying out surveys during the spring and summer.

It has put the call out to people who are able to devote two or three days during both seasons - and not just this year, but in the years to come.

Full training will be given, but the park believes taking part in the collection of data will be of particular interest to existing park volunteers, or natural history groups.

Ian Court, wildlife offer at the national park, said volunteers were at the heart of the authority's conservation work.

“We want to give people the skills, confidence and opportunities to help the natural world and the more people that get involved the better," he said.

"There are opportunities right across the national park, so we will look to match people with the sites nearest to where they live."

The park is particularly keen on attracting people who are able to identify wading birds, such as common upland waders, curlews and lapwings.

Assessments of these birds are needed to support the park's grant applications for agri-environment schemes

It is also looking for people to help with the counting of butterflies, such as the Northern Brown Argus and the Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary.

And there is also a call for people to assist with surveys of priority plant species, and habitat surveys, with people asked to undertake general plant surveys that will be used to support the delivery of agri-environment schemes and the Plantlife National Plant Monitoring Scheme.

Mr Court added: “Here is a chance to get up close to wildlife and do something positive by helping to monitor some of the really important bird, butterfly and plant populations in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. "We cannot continue to conserve and enhance wildlife unless we know how the populations of these species are faring. Monitoring data will help us carry out and support targeted conservation management for the benefit of these species.”

Grass Wood, near Grassington, is a nature reserve managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The woodland grows out of limestone scars, pavement and scree. Beech, sycamore, spruce, larch and pine, planted in the 20th century, are gradually being removed to restore the wood to its natural canopy made up of ash, wych elm, oak and hazel.

In late March, visitors to Grass Wood are treated to a diverse amount of ground flora, including lily-of-the-valley, stone bramble, mountain melick, common valerian, and wild angelica. The nationally scarce rock whitebeam also grows here, and it is a good place to see woodland birds such as tree pippit, wood warbler, pied flycatcher and redstart and to see butterflies on dry, calm days.

The Upper Wharfedale Estate, near Buckden, is owned and managed by the National Trust, in partnership with the area's farmers. It covers areas in the upper dale between Kettlewell and Oughtershaw, and parts of it are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) or are protected by Limestone Pavement Orders (LPO). It is one of the best places to see rivers and streams, calcareous grasslands, ancient semi-natural woodlands, herb-rich hay meadows and moorland habitats.

The River Wharfe and its tributaries have a prominent place in the glacial valley and it provides a home for birds including goosander, kingfisher and grey wagtail.

The shingle beaches are also good places to see oystercatchers and in the water are bullhead and brown trout.

In addition, the Calcareous grassland supports a rich flora with plants like common rockrose and early-purple orchid and is a good place to see the common blue and northern brown argus butterflies.

In early summer yellow wagtails may be seen perched on walls next to species-rich hay meadows such as those found in Langstrothdale between Buckden and Oughtershaw.

Strid Wood and the Strid are owned and managed by the Bolton Abbey Estate and are a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Strid Wood is said to be one of the best places to see ancient semi-natural sessile oak woodland in the national park. The wood is set either side of the River Wharfe as it runs through a steep sided valley, between the Cavendish Pavillion and the Strid Visitor Centre on the estate.

Grimwith Reservoir, near Hebden, is managed and owned by Yorkshire Water. It is surrounded by moorland, much of which is Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Areas of Conservation, and Special Protected Areas. The reservoir, and moorland, is a good place to see wildfowl, including eurasian wigeon, teal, greylag and Canada geese on the water. Ringed plover can be seen on the reservoir edge at certain times of year and northern lapwing, common redshank, eurasian curlew, reed bunting and lesser redpoll can often be seen on or from the path, with the addition of whinchat and sedge warbler in the summer.

As well as the regular sightings, the site is a good place to see a wide range of bird species migrating through the area.

Potential volunteers can contact the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s Wildlife Conservation team by email: wildlifeconservation@yorkshiredales.org.uk

For more information on the rich wildlife in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, visit its Nature In The Dales website: natureinthedales.org.uk/