Kingston University Biodiversity Action Group

04-07-2017: Biodiversity training and survey events in July - Dragonflies and Butterflies.

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.

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