Kingston University Biodiversity Action Group

09-12-2017: Bish Bash Bosh

The continuation of our Rhodo bashes with the Duke of Edinburgh and KUBAG volunteers

We had a fantastic turn out for our first rhodo bash of the season with 36 volunteers from the Environment Trust and KUBAG :)

During the last two weeks, KUBAG has been busy at Tolworth Court and Kingston Hill

Last week was our pond TLC week at Kingston University.

New volunteers getting to grips with kick sampling

We had our first Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (RMI) training event on Saturday. It was a great day, with enthusiastic trainees learning how to conduct riverfly monitoring, learning how the monitoring helps us detect acute pollution incidents.

We had our first biodiversity event of the new term on Saturday. University volunteers were joined by the Environment Trust’s Duke of Edinburgh volunteers to manage two habitats of grassland at Kingston Hill. The first – our acid grassland by the school of Music; the second – an area of established invasive bamboo by the Kingston Hill Pond.

Part of the nursery team counting butterflies at Knights Park.

I hope that everyone’s butterfly counts are going well.

The children at the KU nursery have been enjoying doing counts every day, having firmly court the counting bug, they have ventured further a field onto the Knights Park terrace to do counts too :)

The weather during the last few weeks of the count haven’t been the best. If you’ve got time to do another count this week while the weather is warm it would be great to have a backup count before the Big Butterfly Count 2017 finishes on the 6th of August.

Fingers crossed for clear, warm weather for the majority of this week.

All the best

13-07-2017: Counting on you to help us count wildlife this summer

We’ve had a really busy July so far, and we have some surveys this month where we need your help.

We need your help to undertake surveys of our dragonfly and butterfly species around Kingston this summer.

Dragonflies:
To help get surveyors up to speed, a free Dragonfly identification workshop for Kingston and Hogsmill is being provided by the London Wildlife Trust (LWT) as part of their Water for Wildlife project.

In return for the free training, we are asking people to to commit to monthly surveys. These often take between 11;00 and 15:00 and take place across weekends and workdays.

There are only 5 spaces left on the course. If you are interested in taking part please email LWT directly on wfw@wildlondon.org.uk for more information and to book your place (event details on LWT website).

Read Set Garden...

Volunteers ready to greet guests during out first time participating in the Open Garden Squares Weekend.

Pepper drooling to get stuck into bashing balsam

May was a month filled with Balsam bashes...

19-05-2017: Upcoming Event Kingston's Big Balsam Bash

We are running a big balsam bash on the Hogsmill over half term.

Concentrating on two locations on Wednesday the 31st of May.

Its a free event and anyone can take part, a great event for getting children out and about (they must be accompanied).

All you need to have a wellington boots/hiking boots, gardening gloves, and long sleeved clothes to minimise stings from stinging nettles.

Scavenging and assembling

We've had a busy and varied time so far this May, starting with making our own mini version of the New Town House for invertebrates!

Unexpected visitors

March and the start of April saw lots of activity in the woodland at Kingston Hill.

08-03-2017: Fundraising shout outs

Morning all, just wanted to share two fundraising schemes that are circulating for two of the KUBAG volunteers:

1. A local volunteer is seeking help to fund the creation and publication of a leaflet which will reveal the lost orchard heritage of Kingston and apples see the following link for more information: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/alison-fure

2. One of our Kingston Students is undertaking fundraising to enable a team to go to India in the late summer to help teach English to local residents - please see the following link for more information:
https://www.youcaring.com/zuzannazajac-764976

If either interest you or you are able to help spread the word please share this story with your contacts.

Many thanks

22-02-2017: Events catch-up

The tail end of January and February have been busy busy busy for the Kingston Biodiversity Action Group.

As part of the week of events there are two that are coming up that will interest those of you who want to grow plants as well as take photos.

Overseas volunteering opportunity- Lanner falcons this March/April

One of our Kingston University Students who is on a placement conserving falcons shared this opportunity with our group.

If you are interested in getting some hands on conservation experience in March and April please see the details below:

Help raise money for a local charity while having fun at a Quiz and Curry night Click here for more details.

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.

What is KUBAG?

The Kingston University Biodiversity Action Group works within the University campuses and local area with the aims of improving green spaces for both wildlife and people.

We undertake practical conservation projects that aim to protect, enhance and create habitats for wildlife.

Check out our planned events for the 2016-2017 academic year

This blog is published by Sivi Sivanesan,

Biodiversity and Landscape Coordinator, Estates.

Kingston University Biodiversity Action Group - retired