OPAL is an exciting new initiative that has been awarded a grant from the Big Lottery Fund and runs until December 2012. It is developing a wide range of participative programmes to encourage people from all backgrounds to get back in touch with nature, and to explore, study and learn about their local environments. The project will also generate valuable scientific data concerning the state of our environment through a number of nation-wide wildlife surveys.

The first survey is on soil and earthworms and will be launched in March 2009. It can be carried out in locations in your local area such as allotments, school grounds, playing fields, woodland and parklands. Survey packs will be available from OPAL early next year. Each pack will include a fold‐out chart and accompanying information and answer booklet both designed by the Field Studies Council, an OPAL magnifying glass and all the resources needed to carry out the survey.

The survey will take around 45 minutes and involves making observations and carrying out some basic chemical and physical tests on soil from test sites e.g. pH and texture. The activity will also involve an earthworm hunt where participants will follow a key to identify the earthworms that they find. After the fieldwork activity participants can input their data onto the OPAL website and then view their data in relation to other local and regional tests. The data will be also analysed by scientists and outcomes will be used in the State of the Environment report to be published by Imperial College London at the end of the project.

To look at the full timetable of OPAL surveys or find more information about this exciting project, look on the OPAL website www.OPALexplorenature.org. To take part in the soils/earthworm survey contact the OPAL Soil Centre, led by Imperial College, London on opalsoil@imperial.ac.uk.