Lucy Carter

Well it's February now, so how are your New Year resolutions coming along?  I suspect a lot of them have fallen by the wayside by now.  I make the same ones every year - play my cello more, visit my nan more often...etc etc, and they never really happen.

So why not make a resolution this year that'll really make a difference? 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity - the year that celebrates the diversity of life on Earth, including every plant, animal and micro-organism.  Organisations all over the world, including OPAL, are trying to raise awareness of how important biodiversity is, and what we can all do to help protect it.

As part of International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) people all over the country are making a pledge to Do One Thing for biodiversity this year.  It's easy to take part, just follow these two simple steps:

1. Choose a simple, fun pledge from the list below or you may know something you want to do already.

2. Let people know what your pledge is, using Twitter, email, Facebook or blogs, then try to inspire others to do the same. On Twitter you could begin your tweet by saying: 'I'm supporting biodiversity by (type your pledge in here and end with the following hashtag and web address) #iyb http://www.biodiversityislife.net/do-one-thing'
 

Here are some pledge ideas to get you thinking...

• Create a wildflower meadow or plant a window box – get some ideas from the Royal Horticultural Society 
• Learn new skills, have fun, and help scientists in important research by taking part in one of the OPAL national surveys 
• Enjoy the seasons and the changes each month by going for a walk – the Ramblers Association have ideas for routes
• Don't mow your lawn – an untidy garden encourages wildlife
• Become a beekeeper – join a local association and learn about bees 
• Learn how to identify 12 birds this year
• Go on a bat walk this summer with the Bat Conservation Trust
• Get down and dirty with the Viva Veolia Youth Ranger Project and gain new practical skills, such as horticultural conservation, recycling, or clean up a local river
• Go on the Ancient Tree Hunt 
• Visit the 5,000 acres of historic parkland in London for free
• Garden for a Living London online and help London Wildlife Trust create a network of mini nature reserves across the capital
• Help Kew's Millennium Seed Bank save a plant species – join up with your mates to save an entire species for £2000 or adopt a seed for £25 for yourself or to give as a present
• Tackle some Japanese knotweed and other invasive species with the National Trust 
• Join Natural History Museum experts to identify species in the Wildlife Garden at monthly lunchtime recording sessions, or use our Identification Service any time for advice

And what will my biodiversity pledge be?  Well I dont have a garden because I live in a flat but there are some trees and bits of grass around our car park, so I'm going to put up bird feeders to help our feathered friends through this freezing cold weather. And I must make sure I attend some of those Natural History Museum Wildlife Garden recording sessions - I've been promising Caroline (the Wildlife Garden manager) that'd I'd go for months now! 

So what are you going to pledge?