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Get involved in our Year of Action! Projects you can do this month and year round

No matter where you live, there are plenty of projects to get involved in our Year of Action. What's more, getting out and about in nature has far-reaching benefits on our mental wellbeing and physical health! Projects for December are listed below.

Things you can do this month and year round

  • Explore one of winter's great spectacles together

    Share your photos of starling murmurations and your experiences of observing them so that we can explore this great winter spectacle together.

  • Between land and sea...

    The Wildlife Trusts want to know about what you've found in the exciting world of extremes where land meets sea. Join them and help to build knowledge of the amazing life along our coasts by taking part in Shoresearch.

  • On the road again...

    People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) want your help in surveying wildlife on the roads this summer for their Mammals on Roads project. It will help to build crucial information about the status of our nation's mammals.

  • Get FIT for pollinators!

    The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) are launching their Pollinator Monitoring and Research Partnership (PMRP), which aims to establish how insect pollinator populations are changing across Great Britain. As part of this partnership, they have established two large-scale surveys which YOU can get involved in: 1: FIT count (Flower-Insect Timed Count)- Takes 10 minutes, where you have to sit and watch insects and flowers! 2: 1km square survey - Using pan-traps to capture and sample insects from your sample area.

  • Record your Signs of the Season

    Log the seasonal changes that you're seeing through Nature's Calendar with the Woodland Trust

Projects you can do all year round

Here are some citizen science projects you can get involved in across the year

  • Seen a bird and want to log it?

    Sign up with the BTO and log your bird recordings through their Birdtrack App, or via their website

  • Seen a reptile or amphibian?

    Log your reptile and amphibian sightings with Record Pool for Amphibian and Reptile Groups of the UK (ARG UK) and Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC).

  • Log your marine sightings

    Have you seen a basking shark, jellyfish, marine turtle or crawfish? The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) want to know about your marine sightings along the coast and at sea in UK and Irish waters.

  • Mapping mammals

    Download the free Mammal Mapper app to help us understand mammal distribution across the UK

  • Seen a hedgehog?

    The People's Trust for Endangered species (PTES) and British Hedgehog Preservation Society have teamed up for their brilliant Hedgehog Street Campaign, where you can learn everything you need to know about hedgehogs! You can even map your hedgehog sighting on their website and check out hedgehog distribution in the UK.

  • Check your Pots!

    Buglife want you to be on PotWatch! PotWatch is a campaign looking at the effects of invasive species and imported pot plants into the UK. The first stage of PotWatch is asking you at home to record the pot plant country of origin and send your recording in.

  • 'Spot' the ladybird!

    The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) are investigating the invasion of the harlequin ladybird and it's effect on our native ladybird. Report your ladybird sightings with them!

  • Bumblebees on your flowers!

    Download the 'Blooms for Bees' App to record which bumblebees are visiting your flowers! This is to help discover which flowers are bumblebee favourites and to help understand bumblebee foraging in gardens and allotments.

The Springwatch team will update this page every month giving you opportunities to try something new and really make a difference to wildlife where you live and further afield. Thank you for being a true nature lover, it's never been more important to take action than right now. Simply follow the links above to get started.

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What our presenters say...

"The only way we can really help our British wildlife, is if we have as much information as we can about it's needs, it's current status and it's environment. To achieve that we need as many people as possible to take action. Citizen science is a powerful tool and getting involved makes you feel empowered." Watches presenter, Michaela Strachan

"When it comes to wildlife, caring is no longer enough, we’ve got to take action. Getting out, getting connected and getting involved in good citizen science is one great way of doing this." Watches presenter, Chris Packham

"Get outdoors and get involved. Take your partner out, take your nan out, take your kids out and above all else, have FUN! (Psst! You'll also be making a REAL difference for wildlife, one data point at a time...)." Watches presenter, Gillian Burke

"It’s so important that all of us do everything in our power to help wildlife. So many species are suffering catastrophic declines that every little bit helps. The more we do, the more of an impact we can have so let’s get a huge army of green volunteers changing our country for the better." Watches presenter, Iolo Williams

Do your bit at home

  • Have you seen any wild mammals in green spaces near your home? If so, the People's Trust for Endangered Species want to know about it, take part in the Living with Mammals survey to let them know.

  • Log your hedgehog sightings on the Hedgehog Street website so we can build a clearer picture of where these animals are.

  • These videos are simple guides on how to help wildlife in your garden. Like building a pond or bug hotel which will help entice birds, plants and wildlife into your backyards.