The Great Nut Hunt enlists the help of the public to ferret out gnawed nuts to determine the distribution and numbers of this rare woodland mammal. The Great Nut Hunt is run by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and supported by Natural England. To encourage would-be ‘nutters’ to take part in the survey, PTES has hidden 21 specially commissioned nuts, 20 in silver and a single gold one, across counties in England and Wales. Autumn and winter are the best time to conduct the survey, when discarded nut shells are easiest to find on the woodland floor.

To take part in the Great Nut Hunt 2009, which will run from October 2009 until March 2010, register online at www.ptes.org/greatnuthunt. Participants will receive a survey pack, which contains more information about the silver and gold nut prizes and clues as to their whereabouts, as well as more information about the hazel dormouse, a recording form, the Countryside Code and guides on how to identify hazel tress and nibbled nuts.

August 2009