SNOWDONIA National Park staff are going nuts over the cute and cuddly dormouse! During the autumn of this year, the Snowdonia National Park Authority is running a dormouse survey throughout the National Park area. Building on the information from the "Great Nut Hunt" in 2001, the National Park is hoping to gain further insight into dormouse distribution by collecting hazel nuts opened by small mammals. The project is aimed at children and young people, however, anyone can join in if they wish to. There are special information packs being sent to all the schools within the National Park and the surrounding areas, as well as various youth and community groups. Kate Williamson, Biodiversity Co-ordinator for the Snowdonia National Park said: "We want everybody to look in their local woodland or hedgerows and find 10 empty hazel nuts that show the gnawed round hole that a mouse makes," she added. "They can then send the nuts to the Snowdonia National Park where they will be examined under a magnifying glass to tell whether it is the marks of a dormouse, wood mouse or bank vole that has feasted on its contents. "But remember you need to tell us who you are and your contact details, where you found the nuts and a grid reference where possible, and the date you found them." There will be at least one chance for people to bring their nuts to Kate and her team personally, to learn how to distinguish between the field signs themselves. The Snowdonia National Park will have a stall at the Sustainability Fair, Beddgelert on September 28-29 where they welcome anyone to join them there. If any other groups would like to join in with the survey or make arrangements for a special identification session, contact Biodiversity Co-ordinator, Kate Williamson, at the Snowdonia National Park Offices, Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, LL48 6LF or telephone (01766) 772255 or e-mail kate.williamson@eryri-npa.gov.uk | 
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