Capture Natural Images

Published by Mandy Aletras for Leicestershire County Council in Communities and also in Environment, Local Government

The Community Heritage Initiative is encouraging people to send in photographs as part of its Creative Nature programme to record and celebrate the natural heritage of Leicestershire and Rutland. Photography is a great way to record nature, as many people carry a camera or mobile phone with them when out and about in the countryside.

The project, based at the Leicestershire County Council Environment and Heritage Resources Centre, and supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Rutland County Council, works to encourage people to record and celebrate the nature heritage of the two counties.

The advent of digital cameras has meant that it is much easier and cheaper to snap away at interesting things seen when out and about. Photos are particularly useful if people are not sure what species they have seen, as they can be sent to the CHI or to a local expert for identification. People often send in photos of their sightings to the CHI, and these are displayed on the website at www.leics.gov.uk/wildlife_photos.

If people have any interesting local wildlife photos to share or would like details of how to send them by mobile phone or email, they can contact the CHI team on 0116 267 1377. Wildlife records can be sent to the Community Heritage Initiative at Holly Hayes Environment and Heritage Resources Centre, 216 Birstall Road, Birstall, Leicestershire, LE4 4DG or emailed chi@leics.gov.uk. Ideas for recording local wildlife, with free downloadable forms and packs can also be found online at www.leics.gov.uk/celebrating_wildlife.