It’s time to get digging!

What's Under Your Feet? 2017/18 - complete your dig this June

For those of you that have already registered to join our What's Under Your Feet Campaign for the June dig - great! All you need to do now is gather your pupils and equipment and plan a day to get outdoors and dig. Your activity must take place in June and the data from it uploaded to this site by 31st July 2018 (or 15th July 2018 to be entered into the prize draw) for the scientists at The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to use it for their research. 

What is What's Under Your Feet?

For those that have not joined in before, What's Under Your Feet? is an important citizen science project investigating how climate change is affecting the natural world. It's led by the Pod, in collaboration with the BTO, and is supported by BTO President and BBC TV presenter Chris Packham, and Springwatch presenters Nick Baker and Iolo Williams. 

The BTO's scientists have two years' worth of data from UK schools and have already made the link for the first time that dry summers are affecting breeding birds. The activity teaches students about working scientifically and has direct links to the biology curriculum. You can register now and join in this month to contribute to this valuable project.

Use our resources to start the project in your school

We've created a load of material to get you started and explain how it works. Check out our how-to-video, quick guide, assembly and lesson plan for more information. To get your hard work to the BTO research scientists, please remember to complete the Data Entry pages with your information by 31st July 2018, or to enter the prize draw by the 15th of July 2018 as winners will be contacted by the 18th. 

Why do I have to enter my data?

This campaign is helping the BTO to create an invertebrate abundance map which they will use to find out more about the potential relationship between climate, the availability of invertebrates and how this impacts UK bird numbers and their migration patterns. You will find the link to the Data Entry Dashboard when you've registered for the dig and clicked on View Resources. By giving us your data, you'll also be entered into a prize draw to get a chance to meet Springwatch presenter Chris Packham*! Find out more here.

*Terms and Conditions apply