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Top 5 things I learned as a Froglife trainee

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Written by Rose Williams, London Blue Chain Trainee

After a whirlwind year as a trainee at Froglife on the busy London Blue Chain project, I’ve feel like I’ve gained a whole host of experience, from holding the attention of young people in sessions to how to manage invasive pond plants! It’s now time for my next career step, but before I head on to the next adventure, I wanted to share the top 5 things I learned as a Froglife trainee! 

 

1. Reptiles and amphibians are the best species

You’d expect me to say this after a year working for Froglife wouldn’t you… but it’s true! Reptiles and amphibians are stunningly beautiful species, with fascinating lives, and a vital part of the ecosystem. They’re also accessible: found all around south east London and need no specialist equipment to look at. Having worked with them for a year, there’s still nothing that brightens my day more than a frog hopping across my path! 

 

 

2. To see more species, get involved in local parks and green spaces 

I occasionally see the fancy lads – like adders and great crested newts – at nature reserves. But I see the most frogs, toads and newts from volunteering in south east London parks and green spaces. Regular seasonal jobs like cutting back bramble, nettle and bracken often reveal a lurking amphibian. Spend a few hours with your local “Friends of” group and see what you find. And of course you can always volunteer with us on the Blue Chain!

3. Flat pond shelves – sometimes higher than you think! 

I’ve hand dug about 20 ponds now and one of my top findings (other than measure twice, cut once) is to have nice big flat pond shelves near the top. Marginal plants tend to want to be soggy, but not submerged, and growing tadpoles love sunny, shallow areas. So don’t build your shelf too far down and give your growing amphibians somewhere to sunbathe. That said, if it’s not quite the right height, just prop your plants up with old rubble!  

4. Be proud to be an amateur

I sometimes feel like a latecomer as my interest with nature started in my early 30s. Safe to say it’s become more of an obsession since then, but whatever stage you’re at, be proud to call yourself “nature curious”. For experts in a field, extraordinary things become everyday and unremarkable. The joy of being an amateur is that everything new is a special and memorable event. The acts of doing, seeing and learning new things are excellent for our brains and mental health (as is hanging around ‘watery nature’ including, you guessed it, ponds).

5. Photograph and report what you see

Not only are our species incredibly photogenic, they often let you get a close enough view to get good shots with a phone camera. I follow a “ten second rule” before I back away and leave them be, (also remember never to handle animals unnecessarily for photos or otherwise, and never approach adders).

You can also do your bit to help conserve reptiles and amphibians by submitting your sightings and photos to the Dragon Finder app. This valuable citizen science data is verified and made publicly available by NBN – you can see it for yourself here.

If you want to find out more about the London Blue Chain project, head to the project web page and sign up to the newsletter by sending an email to londonbluechain@froglife.org 

Introducing our new Trainees

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With the start of the first couple of weeks for our new Trainees on the London Blue Chain project, we wanted to introduce them to our followers officially. See below for their stories and how they came to be with us at Froglife:

Isabella Bromfield:

Isabella is a 23-year-old London Blue Chain Project Trainee committed to helping people and the environment in both her personal and professional life. Since graduating with a BA in Geography from the University of Manchester in 2022, Isabella has worked in a variety of roles, evidencing her broad interests and commitment to making a positive impact.

Her interests include studying themes of place attachment, community, underdog species, displacement and environmental degradation. This variety of focusses have led her to take on various roles, including Programmes Co-Ordinator at the diversity and inclusion-focussed charity Blueprint for All, and Conference Admin at the Royal Geographical Society.

Over the past two years, Isabella has searched for the opportunity to collaborate with local organisations which recognise the interconnectedness of wildlife and people. She was particularly drawn to Froglife after discovering our dedication to conserving amphibians, reptiles, biodiversity and habitats through education, practical conservation and public engagement.

Isabella has a passion for working with the ‘underdog’ and sharing knowledge with those often overlooked within the discourse and discussions. As a life-long South Londoner, she is particularly looking forward to working across allotments, connecting with local volunteers, and discovering more about native wildlife species. She is especially excited to contribute to helping embed knowledge amongst communities to ensure the protection of biodiversity for generations to come.

 

Rose Williams:

Rose is a new trainee on the London Blue Chain project for Froglife. As a regular user of footpaths along London’s Green Chain, creating a wildlife corridor for reptiles and amphibians along the route is a dream come true.

Previously, Rose studied Politics, afterwards working as a project manager in recruitment and marketing. More recently, she’s been making and selling craft gelato while volunteering in a healthy living project for early years in south London.

Access to nature is a strong motivator for Rose, and she was drawn to Froglife’s commitment to engaging people from all walks of life in projects on their doorstep. When volunteering on projects within Lambeth she enjoyed working with local communities in creative ways, sharing knowledge and skills collaboratively, to develop habits that are good for people and good for the planet.

Rose is very much looking forward to developing a deep understanding of the lives of amphibians and reptiles and of habitat creation, with a view to empowering others to get stuck in and enjoy the benefits of nurturing their local wildlife.

 

Mariam Turay:

 

Mariam is a London Blue Chain project Trainee who has a background in fine art photography and previously worked for arts organisations. She founded a project in 2021 named Wild Greenery, specialising in carnivorous plants collaborating with sound and 3D design artists. Transitioning from art to ecology, Mariam trained in practical wildlife conservation as a Keeping it Wild Trainee at the London Wildlife Trust supporting youth engagement and forest schools. After her training she went on to gain a qualification for forest school training and is currently finishing her practical horticulture qualification at Walworth Gardens. Mariam also leads a BeePoC group for people of colour to learn holistic practices in beekeeping at a city farm and river conservation group Stonebridge Lock Coalition with freshwater invertebrates’ identification.

Mariam applied to Froglife to learn more on aquatic plants and habitat creation. She is looking forward to working with various communities within south London, focusing on reptiles and amphibians and supporting creative projects based on wildlife habitats. She is also eager to learn about bogs as well as ponds. She wants to learn from conservationists on visual surveying and leap to different sites to understand lizards.

Mariam applied to Froglife to learn about diseases affecting amphibians and reptiles and to raise more awareness of these species with educational sessions. She also wants to learn about habitat restoration for endangered animals and plants. Froglife’s support in creative and holistic projects with vulnerable communities is what Mariam wants to dig into within her year as a trainee.

Getting out into nature made easier thanks to £15.6m funding from the Heritage Fund

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Kate Bradbury and Xavier Mahele get digging! The first of the 100 new ponds for the new London Blue Chain walking route, created by Froglife and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund © Oliver Dixon
  • From urban walking routes and dramatic landscapes to Regency period gardens, helping people to get outside to explore and enjoy nature is the focus of £15.6m funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
  • The newly funded projects will revive landscapes, support nature recovery, and enhance connectivity for people and wildlife across rural, suburban and urban areas.
  • With January being the perfect time to enjoy free activities and embrace the great outdoors, the latest round of funding from Heritage Fund makes it easier for people to experience the benefits of nature at heritage sites across the UK
  • The chosen projects join over 215 walking trails already funded by the Heritage Fund across the length and breadth of the UK, from Ben Nevis to Cornwall.

Today, Tuesday 16 January, The National Lottery Heritage Fund announces £15.6m in funding to make it easier for people to access nature across the UK, so that everyone can experience the benefits of getting outside and connecting with nature.

The transformative projects join well over 215 walking routes already funded by the Heritage Fund across the length and breadth of the UK.

Stretching from Brighton and St Andrews, to Belfast and London, the newly funded projects will ensure that walking trails, green spaces and other public areas are accessible to a wide range of people. With January being the perfect time to embrace the great outdoors, these projects promise to bring people closer to nature and celebrate the rich tapestry of our natural heritage.

The new London Blue Chain, will be created by Froglife, along the historic 52-mile London Green Chain walking route, with the help of £573,078 from the Heritage Fund to create, restore, and connect freshwater habitats to support the sustained growth of amphibian and reptile populations. The project aims to breathe fresh life into southeast London by connecting local communities with their natural heritage.

With Championing National Parks for Everyone (£557,955), Peak District Mosaic aim to continue to raise awareness of and improve accessibility to the Peak District, North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, particularly among ethnically and culturally diverse communities, while National Trust’s Divis A View to the Future project (£2,997,000) will create further opportunities for communities to engage with heritage, nature and place through habitat restoration and development of new walking trails, connecting the people of Belfast to the hills that frame the City’s skyline.

Funding will also be allocated to greenspaces and other public areas, emphasising that you don’t need to go to the countryside to enjoy a refreshing walk. ‘A Garden Fit For a King’ (£4,369,755) aims to restore the historic Royal Pavilion Estate in Brighton and Hove, including the unique Regency period Garden, while St Andrews Heritage Museum and Garden (£630,688) will be redeveloped improving accessibility, sustainability, community outreach and encourage visitors to explore the wider St Andrews Conservation area. With ‘Unlocking Highgate Cemetery’ (£105,000 development funding), the Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust plans to promote biodiversity and improve accessibility to preserve the working cemetery as a sanctuary to walk, reflect and connect with nature for generations to come.

Since 1994, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded £2 billion to 4,700 land, nature and biodiversity projects across the UK. These initiatives have been made possible through the generous support of the National Lottery players, whose contributions continue to make a profound impact on the conservation and celebration of the UK’s unique landscapes and biodiversity.

As part of Heritage 2033, Heritage Fund’s 10-year strategy, the organisation will be introducing new strategic funding streams including a landscape and nature focused initiative to be announced later in the year which is set to support large-scale projects that preserves natural heritage and enhance connectivity for people and wildlife.

Full project details:

 

    • London Blue Chain, London (Grant – £573,078)
© Oliver Dixon

The new London Blue Chain, a beautiful chain of 100 ponds created by Froglife, which will run along the historic 52-mile London Green Chain walking route, linking a range of diverse greenspaces from Bexley and Greenwich, all the way through to Lewisham, Bromley, Southwark and Lambeth. The Blue Chain aims to create, restore, and connect freshwater habitats to support the sustained growth of amphibian and reptile populations, as well as creating neighbourhood wildlife corridors in community spaces including housing estates, schools and allotments. What’s more, the project aims to breathe fresh life into southeast London through lots of volunteer opportunities, training, workshops and festivals.

 

 

 

    • Championing National Parks for Everyone, across the Peak District, North York Moors, and Yorkshire Dales (Grant – £557,955)

With Championing National Parks for Everyone, Peak District Mosaic aim to continue to raise awareness of and improve accessibility to the Peak District, North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, among ethnically and culturally diverse communities. The project plans to provide training opportunities through the Community Champion programme, which will support diverse communities to visit the National Parks independently as well as enter the environmental sector.

    • Divis and the Black Mountain, Northern Ireland (Grant – £2,997,000)

The Divis A View to the Future project, led by the National Trust, plans to restore nature and improve access for the communities at the foot of Divis and the Black Mountain. The area boasts a stunning natural habitat, linking to the heritage and culture of the city of Belfast which surrounds it. The project aims to restore, improve and enhance the natural landscape whilst increasing opportunities for community engagement with heritage and nature.

    • Royal Pavilion Estate, Brighton (Grant – £4,369,755)

The ‘A Garden Fit for A King’ project aims to restore and reconnect the historic Royal Pavilion Estate in Brighton & Hove, particularly focusing on the Grade II listed Royal Pavilion and its unique Regency period garden. The restoration project seeks to remove the garden from the ‘At Risk’ Register, preserve its heritage and biodiversity, and engage both locals and tourists in appreciating its significance and beauty.

    • St Andrews Heritage Museum & Garden, St Andrews (Grant – £630,688)

St Andrews Heritage Museum and Garden, located in the heart of the St Andrews Conservation area, will be redeveloped across four key strands: Accessibility, Sustainability, Community Outreach, and Visitor Experience. As part of this redevelopment, the garden spaces are set to showcase native plants, and grow produce for use in the local community café.

    • Life on the Edge, South Devon (Grant – £2,246,965)

The Life on the Edge project strives to bring communities together to help protect some of the UK’s most vulnerable invertebrate species inhabiting the flower-rich grasslands and cliffs across the coast of South Devon. The project aims to reconnect wild coastal landscapes and provide the tools for communities to take action in their greenspaces, farmland, churchyards, school grounds, highway verges and private gardens to provide more valuable and much needed habitat for these rare insects and other wildlife.

 

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “I am thrilled we are announcing support for such a fantastic group of heritage projects that will not only protect our environment but also allow more people to experience the benefits of nature across the UK. Preserving natural heritage is core to what we do, and thanks to National

Lottery players, we look forward to seeing people across the UK enjoying the incredible variety that nature has to offer, and ensure that these outstanding natural sites are valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future”.

Kathy Wormald, CEO, Froglife, said: “The new London Blue Chain is right at the heart of Froglife’s work: it will both create a fantastic chain of ponds for reptiles and amphibians along the London Green Chain, whilst at the same time working closely with local communities. This will make a massive difference for wildlife and, through a novel range of activities, support new skills, knowledge and mental and physical health. Thank you so much to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and lottery players for funding this valuable work”.

 

Further Heritage Fund support has been awarded to a number of organisations in order to develop their plans to preserve and improve access to natural heritage across the UK:

  • Following the success of the first phase of its restoration, Wardown Park now sets its sights on restoring the lake. The project aims to re-establish it as a community hub and improve biodiversity (Grant – £274,600 towards a delivery grant of £2.5m).
  • The Clywedog Valley Partnership led by Groundwork North Wales aims to transform the valley into a vibrant cultural attraction, by reopening heritage sites along the valley, and offering visitors and the local community the a diverse programme of events and activities. (Grant – £246,530 towards a delivery grant of £1.2m).
  • City of Wolverhampton Council aims to promote the heritage of Smestow Valley Local Reserve, a 4.5km long UNESCO Global Geopark nestled in the heart of Wolverhampton (Grant – 217,000 towards a delivery grant of £2,098,543).
  • Enfield Council in collaboration with local stakeholders are set to establish Broomfield as a flagship park for North London, emphasizing its rich heritage, opportunities for communities to participate in its upkeep and activation and as a place to inspire sustainable living. (Grant – £532,490 towards a delivery grant of £3.7m).
  • The Roding Rises project will connect local communities, from farmers in rural Essex to residents in Redbridge, Barking & Dagenham and Newham, with the River Roding, inspiring them to take positive action to restore this neglected river. (Grant £167,811 towards a delivery grant of £1.5m).
  • The Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust plans to conserve the heritage, promote biodiversity, and to improve accessibility and inclusivity at this Grade I registered site in North London. Continuing as a working cemetery, it will remain as a sanctuary in which to connect with nature and reflect on life for generations to come. (Grant £105,703 towards a delivery grant of £6.7m).

Butterflies, bats and birds among rare species set to benefit from new funding announced  

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  • 63 projects (including Froglife’s London Blue Chain project) awarded share of £14.5 million to support species recovery across England  
  • Species, such as rare mosses, Duke of Burgundy Butterflies and Greater Horseshoe Bat set to benefit from efforts to improve habitats
  • Work will contribute to government commitment to reduce species at risk of extinction

Some of England’s most rare and threatened species – from the Large Marsh Grasshopper, native White-Clawed Crayfish to Lapwings and Water Voles – are to be supercharged on the road to recovery thanks to a multi-million-pound grant scheme.  
 
63 projects across the country have been awarded a share of £14.5 million by Natural England to help recover 150 species nationwide.

The Species Recovery Programme Grant Scheme supports targeted action to recover our most endangered species. The funding will support efforts to fine tune habitat conditions for our rarest species, and actions such as propagation, captive rearing, translocations, research and solution-trialling to find the best approaches to enable endangered wildlife to survive and thrive.

England’s wildlife is facing extreme pressures – habitat fragmentation, climate change and invasive species have created huge declines, with average species abundance falling by 52%. Numbers of the Duke of Burgundy Butterfly, for example, have declined by some 50% in the last 20 years.

Some of the projects to benefit from the funding include:

  • Chalk stream restoration. The WET Hogsmill project led by the South East Rivers Trust, will improve a rare chalk stream in Southwest London, supporting species such as Brown Trout, Sea Trout, Eels and Water Voles returning to the river.
  • The Wiltshire Chalk Partnership Chalk Species Revival – to support the recovery of the Wart-biter Bush Cricket, Marsh Fritillary, the Large Blue, the Adonis Blue and the Duke of Burgundy butterflies which are in serious sustained decline. Led by the National Trust in collaboration with Natural England, the RSPB, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the Pewsey Downs Farmer Group, the project will create a mosaic of habitat connecting butterfly populations across the landscape. 
  • Reintroducing the Large Marsh Grasshopper in East Anglia – The Citizen Zoo Hop of Hope project to reintroduce the Large Marsh Grasshopper to East Anglia. Last seen in the area in 1968, this species has suffered decline due to degradation of the bog and fen habitat. The project will support efforts to re-establish a population in this area, building on innovative work to release grasshoppers from pre-incubated eggs.
  • Saving North Yorkshire’s Native Crayfish — Claws for Thought delivered by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, this project will work with members of the North Yorkshire Crayfish Forum to create a resilient population of the native White-clawed Crayfish. The project will establish a crayfish rearing facility, and interventions, such as introducing woody debris and reducing sediment, will provide new breeding sites and food sources supporting sustainable populations of native Crayfish. 
  • Horseshoes Heading East – This partnership project, led by the Vincent Wildlife Trust, will create a viable population of Greater Horseshoe Bats in south-east England through a combination of roost creation and habitat enhancement. Improving connectivity across the landscape and linking maternity sites will improve the breeding success of this rare and iconic species. The project will also support other rare bat species such as the Greater Mouse-eared Bat and the Grey Long-Eared Bat.  

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:  

“Nature is in drastic decline all around us, with England now one of the most nature depleted countries in Earth. Many once common animals and plants are much reduced with some 15 percent of species at risk of becoming extinct here.

“It’s a dire situation, but can still be turned around. We know this because we’ve seen the population of the once endangered Bittern rise dramatically, the recovery of the Fen Raft Spider and Water Voles successfully reintroduced to areas from where they had previously been lost. The partnership projects we are highlighting today demonstrate the power of collaborative action to reverse species decline and we look forward to seeing positive practical progress as a result of the investments being made”.

Bella Davies, Chief Executive of the South East Rivers Trust, said:  

“We are thrilled to have been successful in our application to Natural England’s Species Recovery Grant to support the recovery of water voles, eel and native wild trout which have become near extinct on the Hogsmill river in South West London.

“The Hogsmill is a rare urban chalk stream meaning that it’s not only a very rare and special habitat for wildlife, with only 220 chalk streams worldwide, but an important resource for many people too. Our project will restore river habitat and create backwaters where fish can take refuge from pollution, create wetlands to improve water quality which will help reintroduce water voles which were once prevalent on the river. We are excited to see this much needed work begin on the ground to bring water vole, eel and trout back to the Hogsmill”.

The money has been awarded following a competitive application round, and will be used by environmental charities, wildlife organisations, local authorities and charities in projects across the country.

The projects will help deliver the Nature Recovery Network, creating, improving and connecting more wildlife-rich areas benefitting people and helping species to thrive.

The projects will also provide new opportunities for people to experience the wellbeing benefits of accessing the natural world, and help build resilience to climate change, while sustaining the vital ecosystems that provide us with healthy soil, clean air and water.

Improving strongholds for wildlife and investing in long-term species recovery will help achieve the government’s pledge to reduce the species extinction by 2042 compared to 2022 levels, restore more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife habitat, and increase species abundance as set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan.