Claire Forrest, information officer with the Chilterns Conservation Board, has great ideas on where to take the family out for the day.

As reported in the national press recently, studies show that many children know more about exotic animals overseas than they do about the wildlife on their doorstep.

This is being blamed on a decline in school field trips and the fact that children spend more time looking at wildlife on the internet and television than coming face-to-face with it in their local countryside. Something doesn't seem quite right when children can recognise a zebra more easily than a blackbird.

To try and reverse this trend and give children and adults the chance to enjoy the natural wonders of the Chilterns at first hand the Chilterns Conservation Board is promoting a packed programme of events this spring and summer. It is full of guided walks to see wildlife, family fun days, boat trips on the Thames and country shows. No matter where you live in the Chilterns there is something taking place nearby.

Why not visit a springtime woodland to see the carpets of bluebells and other wildflowers spreading out beneath the bright green new leaves? There are a number of guided walks on offer in this area where a local expert will take you on a set route and point out wild animals, flowers and other features of interest. For the very keen there are some early morning walks to listen to the dawn chorus. The magic of experiencing the beginning of the day accompanied by a tuneful choir of birds is worth setting the alarm for.

Those who prefer a lie-in can enjoy a completely different type of wildlife experience by taking an afternoon cruise down the Thames. Regular wildlife-watching boat trips in the company of a volunteer naturalist are taking place between Henley and Hambleden this spring and summer. You can see all sorts of life on the river, from a heron stalking its fishy dinner to swans on their nests and grebes marshalling their fluffy babies.

There are plenty of events to entertain children during the holidays. Several family fun days are taking place with craft-making activities, story-telling and woodland orienteering. There's a chance to get close to some fascinating beasties like neon-bright glow worms, bats and cute dormice. Children and adults can burn off a bit of energy on a guided bike ride where the views will make the uphill bits worthwhile.

Most of these events are free and many of them, including some of the walks, are suitable for people with limited mobility.

If you have more time and energy to spare a great way to get close to nature and give it a helping hand is to join a local conservation work party.

There are plenty of these informal groups across the Chilterns who meet regularly to carry out tasks on nature reserves.

Full information about all these events and local work parties is printed in the free publication What's On in the Chilterns, available from local libraries and information centres. You can also visit the Chilterns website www.chilternsaonb.org and get all the details of events online.