Community Interest Company ‘The Owl Conservation Project’ was born out of the British Owl Project which had been set up in 2020 by Lu Barton. She was joined by Lucy Barnett in 2021, with Gemma Warr joining a year later. Both joined Lu in becoming directors in 2023.
As owls are an indicator and umbrella species, their presence and population size indicate the health and balance of their ecosystems and their biodiversity, so the work undertaken by the Owl Conservation Project’s volunteers provides valuable information.
The volunteer-led and run Owl Conservation Project works with environmental groups, landowners, tenants educational groups, etc to enhance and increase existing habitats for our British Owls and create new habitats for them, linking them as networks or habitat highways. Added to these areas and networks are the nest boxes for the different breeds of owls and their monitoring.
The project now also includes their habitat work (which looks at soil biology), surveying, installation and monitoring of nest boxes, ringing of chicks (undertaken by their Ringing Team), population and behaviour studies and surveying, the study of the impact of human activity on these birds.
The Project is also working with the Little Owl Monitoring Network (a national project) to survey and collect data in relation to the UK Little Owls to investigate the reasons for their significant decline and hopefully find a solution and turn their fortunes around. They are looking at surveying both Long Eared Owls and Tawny Owls later this year.
The Owl Conservation Project is also involved in the educational aspects of conversations undertaking events, talks and workshops, together with training and helping individuals and groups who wish to get more involved in this work.
The project offers the opportunity to be involved in Owl Conservation and species research whether you have been involved in conservation in the past or would like to start now. There are various ways you can help with their work:
- Report any owls you may see or hear from your home to the team. This can be done via the online form on their website (owlconservationproject.org.uk). The website also has descriptions and calls for each of our British Owls to help you determine which breed you have come in contact with.
- Sign up to help the Project with their surveying work for specific species of Owl in your area.
- Join the team on the ground, taking part in their fieldwork – nest box surveys, installations and monitoring.
- If you are a landowner or know of a landowner who would like to look at having nest boxes installed on their land (the Owl Conservation Project makes an initial charge for boxes to cover construction, delivery, and installation – there is no further charge for the monitoring and cleaning of the boxes after installation).
- You are an existing group who would like to get involved in this work as part of your other work – the Owl Conservation Project can provide workshops and training, talks etc.
- You would like to start a group which can be associated with the Owl Conservation Project and can carry out this work (see above).
- If you would like to come along and help at the events and talks that they attend.
If you would like to come and meet the team at the events that the Owl Conservation Project are attending, the dates of their talks can be found on their website owlconservationproject.org.uk. They look forward to meeting you.
