Curlew Awareness Day

Ahead of World Curlew Day on 21 April, Yorkshire Dales environmental campaigning charity, Friends of the Dales hosted a successful awareness raising event about the plight of the critically endangered curlew at Malham. Installed in one of the fields alongside the pathway to Janet’s Foss, the charity’s Creative Campaigners (aged 20-30) displayed 16 life-size curlew sculptures made from foraged and recycled wire along with information posters and an online quiz.

Executive director of Friends of the Dales, Ann Shadrake said:
“This event was a real success in raising awareness of how endangered curlew are and the simple things we can all do, like keeping to paths with our dogs on leads, to help them raise their chicks in peace.

"We reached out to around 200 local people and visitors over the day. Our brilliant Creative Campaigners, trustees and volunteers were supported by Ian Court, Wildlife Conservation Officer for the Yorkshire Dales National Park who was able to share his in-depth knowledge of these beautiful and iconic birds.

"We are also grateful to farmers Neil Heseltine and Leigh Weston for permission to set up the display on their field, and to Dales based artist, Lesley Knevitt who ran a fantastic workshop in March where we all learned how to make curlew sculptures.”

A suite of curlew awareness event resources is available at www.friendsofthedales.org.uk for community and environmental groups to freely download and use to create their own curlew awareness events. Friends of the Dales can also lend out their ‘Campaigning for Curlew Pack’ of wire sculptures and display posters.

Ann added:
“Curlews and all ground nesting birds are incredibly vulnerable from now until the end of July when the young chicks fledge. At a minimum, we need 10,000 more curlew chicks to survive in the UK each year just to halt the dire decline. We know from the responses to our Curlew Quiz that people love curlew and want to protect them for the future.”