Kingston University Biodiversity Action Group

16-03-16: Eels ahoy!

A Middle Mill Eel from 2015

A fantastic local event this Sunday in the Tolworth area.

Discover this reserves hidden wildlife wonders.

10-03-2016: The battle of the sexes lost in a river!

*Warning - best not read when having any meal!
On Thursday volunteers entered the Hogsmill at Knights Park to do a litter clearance on the naturalised bank that was installed by volunteers in 2014.

The section of the river in the summer with students and staff enjoying the terrace

Come in and join the gang

What do these two images have in common? They are both sections of water habitats associated with the Hogsmill which we are trying to restore.

The following events and projects need your help to get them off the ground. Many of them are brilliant opportunities to learn transferable skills, help promote the local area and gain some volunteering experience which can all help you in your future plans after Kingston University.

We also have a call for help from final year degree student at Kingston University for participants living in Kingston to complete a short 5 minute questionnaire for her dissertation.

See below for more details:

The KU bird count in numbers

As promised last month, we've brought you the comparison between the bird counts for Kingston University sites and those surveyed by the pupils of Wimborne First School.

Biodiversity events coming up

March 2018

Riverbank TLC: Wed 7 Mar @ Knights Park (13:30-16:00) Help us care for the river at Knights Park with the first litter pick of the riverbank and signage refresh of the season. Email by Mon 5 Mar to book your place.

Bramble Bash and other Woodland management: Sat 10 Mar @ Kingston Hill (10:00-16:30) Working with the Environment Trust, we'll be getting an area ship shape for tree planting in Autumn. Email by Wed 7 Mar to book your place.

Memorial Garden TLC: Fri 23 Mar @ Kingston Hill (13:30-16:00) Continuing our efforts to get plant seeds to grow our own flowers for the memorial garden this Spring. Email by Wed 21 Mar to book your place.

April 2018

Memorial Garden TLC: Wed 4 Apr @ Kingston Hill (13:30-16:00) Continuing our efforts to get plant seeds to grow our own flowers for the memorial garden this Spring. Email by Mon 2 Apr to book your place.

Green Woodwork craft day: Sat 7 Apr @ Kingston Hill (10:00-16:00) Learn some green woodworking skills at Kingston Hill Woodland. Email by Tuesday 3 Apr to book your place - SPACES LIMITED TO 10 PEOPLE. Over 18yrs only.

Memorial Garden TLC: Wed 18 Apr @ Kingston Hill (13:30-16:00) Continuing our efforts to get plant seeds to grow our own flowers for the memorial garden this Spring. Email by Mon 16 Apr to book your place.

Eel Monitoring Training 1 with ZSL: Wed 11 Apr @ Knights Park (14:00-16:00). Your first chance this year to get trained up to monitor eels on the Hogsmill River with the Zoological Society of London. Please note that you must be able to undertake 4 one hour monitoring sessions throughout the summer to attend. Email by Fri 6 Apr to book your place.

Riverfly Monitoring Training with ZSL: Sat 21 Apr @ Knights Park (11:00-16:00). Learn how to monitor the health of your local river using invertebrates. The survey techniques apply to all rivers in London. in exchange for free training, ZSL request that you commit to 6 monitoring surveys in your first year of surveying.
Email by Tues 17 Apr to book your place.

Sign up by emailing biodiversity@kingston.ac.uk

Other events from different groups:

The Lower Mole Project - run volunteer events throughout the year. Click on this link to go to their website for their latest events

Project Dirt (a network connecting and resourcing environmental and community projects) also advertise events and workshops in different locations - many in London well worth finding one near you.

Ongoing dates:

London Natural History Society events are free to members. A full list of events is available on their website.

Kingston University Biodiversity Action Group - retired