91Èȱ¬

The 91Èȱ¬ is set to inspire new wildlife heroes to do something for nature this summer in a Springwatch season of events and programmes, including a brand new series of the popular nightly series hosted by Kate Humble, Chris Packham, Simon King and Martin Hughes-Games on 91Èȱ¬ Two from Monday 31 May.

Wildlife enthusiasts can also take part in exciting activities at hundreds of Springwatch Wild Days Out taking place across the UK as part of the 91Èȱ¬'s popular Breathing Places campaign.

And on Sunday 20 June viewers can join Kate, Chris and Martin from the Springwatch team on 91Èȱ¬ Two for an inspirational Wild Night In – a two-hour fund-raising extravaganza in support of threatened wildlife and wild places.

All of these broadcasts and public events will be marking the International Year of Biodiversity 2010.

Springwatch-themed events are taking place all over the country. Families will be able to take part in a variety of exciting wild activities inspiring them to support nature in their local area, from building a bat box to hunting for creepy crawlies – and from worm-charming to local tree trail walks.

Says Springwatch presenter Kate Humble: "The Springwatch Wild Days Out are a great opportunity to learn more about the importance of biodiversity and to see what small thing you and your family can do for nature in your area."

These special fun-filled days are taking place from Saturday 15 May to Sunday 13 June 2010. Check local publicity for details of a free Springwatch Wild Day Out event being held near you or go to bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces for a full list.

The young, and young at heart, can have fun learning how they can save nature where they live and become a local wildlife hero!

After a Wild Day Out, viewers can join the Springwatch team for a Wild Night In as Chris, Kate, Martin and friends range from local to global, looking at inspiring conservation projects both in the UK and across the world, while encouraging viewers to help raise money to support threatened wildlife and wild places around the globe through the work of the 91Èȱ¬ Wildlife Fund.

From 8pm on Sunday 20 June, the 91Èȱ¬ Wildlife Fund will be hosting a two-hour fundraising extravaganza on 91Èȱ¬ Two.

The Wild Night In is an inspiring and thought-provoking celebration of our world's wildlife featuring David Attenborough, Graham Norton, Edith Bowman and other celebrities.

Chris Packham, Kate Humble and Martin Hughes-Games will host a lively discussion among those who really care about protecting many of the threatened species across the world.

Find out more at bbc.co.uk/wild where you can also sign up for the Wild newsletter and find out how the 91Èȱ¬ Wildlife Fund has made such a huge difference to local and international wildlife already.

You can also download your own fund-raising pack full of ideas on how you can help the 91Èȱ¬ Wildlife Fund raise vitally needed money for important conservation projects.

The Springwatch season of events and programmes mark the International Year of Biodiversity, promoting the importance of protecting a wide range of species across the UK and around the world.

The Springwatch Wild Days Out will be encouraging biodiversity in our gardens, parks and outside spaces and inspiring people to do something for nature.

Chris Packham says: "Springwatch is very good at empowering people to realise that they can make a difference – they can do things themselves and if they do the things in their garden that they ought to do, then that is four million gardens that are better places for wildlife."

In some parts of the country, as part of the Springwatch Wild Days Out, budding nature detectives can also take part in a BioBlitz – a wildlife hunt against the clock. Check local details to find out if there is one happening near you and see how many species you can find.

Kate Humble says: "Taking part in a wildlife survey is a brilliant excuse to get outside and enjoy watching wildlife. The results of surveys provide vital information to help protect our wildlife for the future."

The Springwatch season starts with three themed one-hour TV specials on Monday 17 May, Wednesday 19 May and Thursday 20 May at 8pm on 91Èȱ¬ Two.

Chris Packham provides an up to date report on climate change and its effect on UK wildlife; Nature super-sleuth Simon King takes a closer look at the UK's urban wildlife; and cameraman Gordon Buchanan takes to the high seas around the UK in search of killer whales, where he discovers that there is a lot more to the waters around the UK than you might think.

The new nightly series of Springwatch returns to 91Èȱ¬ Two on Monday 31 May, live from 8pm to 9pm each Monday to Thursday for three weeks, with its audience-led sister programme Springwatch Unsprung each Friday from 8pm to 8.30pm.

Notes to Editors

About 91Èȱ¬ Learning

• The 91Èȱ¬ is committed to education and personal development. 91Èȱ¬ Breathing Places is one of the many unique and varied offerings from 91Èȱ¬ Learning. For more information on all the learning programmes offered for adults, teachers, parents and students, visit www.bbc.co.uk/learning.
• 91Èȱ¬ Learning also delivers campaigns that aim to inspire and empower individuals to take action – action that changes their lives, benefits communities and helps to transform society.

About 91Èȱ¬ Breathing Places

• 91Èȱ¬ Breathing Places is a five-year campaign to encourage all of us to get outside and make space for nature. Developed in partnership with a huge range of wildlife and conservation organisations, the campaign encourages new audiences to get involved in doing 'one thing' for nature, while providing opportunities for Breathing Places to be created across the UK. Already millions of people have been inspired to do 'one thing' for nature.
• £9.5m from the Big Lottery Fund has been invested in creating new breathing places. More than ten thousand schools have signed up to BP School, and nearly 10,000 breathing places are registered on the 91Èȱ¬ Breathing Places Event Finder.
• The website bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces provides details on how to do one thing for nature where you live, from putting up a bird feeder to creating a breathing place. The public can also search around 10,000 breathing places on the Breathing Places Event Finder to locate nature friendly places and events near them.
• A breathing place is great for both wildlife and people. It has an active community of people creating, enjoying and maintaining it.

About Springwatch

• The new series of Springwatch presented by Chris Packham, Kate Humble, Simon King, Martin Hughes-Games and Gordon Buchanan returns to 91Èȱ¬ Two on 31 May until 17 June, every Monday to Thursday at 8pm, with its audience-led sister programme Springwatch Unsprung at 8pm every Friday on 91Èȱ¬ Two. This year there are two brand new 15-minute shows on Red Button – Springwatch Pub Quiz on Tuesdays at 9pm and Springwatch Photo Club on Wednesdays at 9pm.
• Martin Hughes-Games will be encouraging nature lovers to help by spotting ladybirds this summer. Join in the UK Ladybird Survey between the end of May and mid June. There are 46 species of ladybirds in the UK, but over 5,000 in the world. Find out how you can take part and record your sightings at bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces. This is a great chance to do 'one thing' for biodiversity.

About the 91Èȱ¬ Wildlife Fund

The 91Èȱ¬ Wildlife Fund will fund conservation action throughout the world. The 2010 themes for action are:

• Saving our species.
• Conserving, restoring and creating wildlife habitats.
• 91Èȱ¬s for wildlife.
• Engaging People: raising awareness about wildlife and engaging communities in the conservation of their wildlife, resolving conflicts between wildlife and people.
• The 91Èȱ¬ Wildlife Fund will disburse donations through an open application grant process commencing in October 2010. Grants will be made to UK registered charities, broadly allocating 20 per cent of donations to projects conserving wildlife in the UK and 80 per cent of donations to projects outside the UK.

91Èȱ¬ Wildlife Fund Values

• We are hopeful our funding can make a clear difference for wildlife, and we can save our species. Everyone is welcome to join in and celebrate the beauty and wonder of our natural world.
• We are accountable, with a range of wildlife specialists and partners in the sector who can explain current approaches, are independent and are open to challenge. We support positive action which provides tangible results.

SS/Springwatch Wild Days Out; LS2/BR 91Èȱ¬ Wildlife Fund and Wild Night In; FD/Springwatch, Springwatch Specials and Springwatch Unsprung