Here’s something a little different: an opportunity to take part in some pioneering scientific research in your own back garden. It’s well known that earthworms are a crucial part of the processes that create and maintain healthy soil, but we don’t actually know a whole lot about the worms themselves.
To help put that right, the Open Air Laboratory are conducting an ‘earthworm census’ over the next few weeks, and they’re inviting anyone to participate.
All you need to do is visit the Opal website and download the instructions and worm identification guide (worms are more diverse than I expected). There’s a list of things to pick up from a garden centre or your shed, and then you just need to pick a square foot of ground. It could be your back garden, your allotment, or the park. When you’ve counted the worms and tested the soil, you can log on and fill in your results on the website.
You’ll be contributing to scientific knowledge, it’s fun, and you’ll learn a lot about your own patch of earth while you’re at it.
The Earthbound Report 