07 August 2019
By Elaine Bald, Business Development Manager, FirstPort Scotland
FirstPort Scotland is encouraging all its staff and customers to take 15 minutes this month to join in the national Butterfly survey
Though sunny intervals are somewhat sparse across Scotland right now, FirstPort Scotland is encouraging customers and its property management team to take part in the last week of the nationwide survey – Big Butterfly Count 2019.
Co-ordinated by charity, Butterfly Conservation, the survey runs from 19 July to 11 August 2019 and has received celeb backing by luminaries including Sir David Attenborough, Alan Titchmarsh and Joanna Lumley.
According to Butterfly Conservation: “Butterflies react very quickly to changes in their environment, which make them excellent biodiversity indicators. Butterfly declines are an early warning for other wildlife losses. That’s why counting butterflies can be described as taking the pulse of nature.”
The count will also assist them in identifying trends in species that will help plan how to protect butterflies from extinction, as well as understand the effect of climate change on wildlife.
I’m working with the FirstPort Scotland team to roll out the project and have taken part in the survey at my home in South Ayrshire. As a responsible managing agent who factor property, land and estates throughout Scotland, we understand the importance of biodiversity in our environment.
To support the Big Butterfly Count this year, we’ve made the Scottish butterfly identification chart available for our customers to access via our online customer portal. We’ve also placed the ID chart and details of how to take part on noticeboards at retirement developments throughout Scotland.
We employ a large number of staff with various areas of expertise, located throughout the country, who have been encouraged to take part in the butterfly count too.
I was extremely fortunate to see five Painted Ladies enjoying the sunshine on a white buddleia all at one time, in my neighbour’s garden in Troon last week. I downloaded and submitted my findings via the free Butterfly Count app and got a lovely response to say my results were being counted.
It’s a great activity to be part of and only takes 15 minutes.
We hope our customers and staff are enjoying getting involved, and submitting results up and down the country from our FirstPort managed developments and offices.
The Big Butterfly Count ends this Sunday, 11th August, but counts can still be submitted up until the end of the month.
To find it more, FirstPort Scotland customers can view and download information from ‘Your Property Online’ or anyone can visit https://www.bigbutterflycount.org
Butterfly declines are an early warning for other wildlife losses. That’s why counting butterflies can be described as taking the pulse of nature.”
Butterfly Conservation
