Our London Blue Chain team will be restoring a pond for our amphibians and reptiles.
If you’d like to join them for a day of fresh air and physical activity, extra hands are always welcome!
Email rose.williams@froglife.org for more info.
London
Introducing our new Trainees
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
- 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:
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- London Blue Chain, London (Grant – £573,078)
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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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).
Work Experience Week
Written by work experience student Ellis Armfield.
I am an A Level student who is lucky enough to have the opportunity to partake in a weeklong work experience placement with Froglife. As an aspiring wildlife conservationist, this placement was perfect for me and through it I gained invaluable experience and knowledge of the conservation sector, whilst meeting inspiring people and gaining practical skills. I’m extremely grateful to have had this opportunity and I have learnt so much. I want to thank everyone who I have spoken to and most of all Amy who has been my placement coordinator and without her I wouldn’t have had this valuable experience.
My week
Monday 26th June:
For my first day I went to Banstead Beds community garden in Clapham Common. There was a community atmosphere, and the space was bursting with fruits and vegetables.
In our Wild Times session, I worked with a lovely group of dementia patients sampling water from the wildlife pond and testing it for things such as PH. We also used challenging, but fun, equipment to preserve a sample to be sent off and tested for DNA to show what species the pond has in it.
Everyone got involved and challenges such as putting on gloves and using equipment were overcome with teamwork an encouragement. It was great to see the group enjoying the fresh air and trying something new, as well as giving me the opportunity to work with an age group I hadn’t had much experience with previously. Afterwards we all sat down and had a nice chat and I remember Richard saying “we had a smashing afternoon” with a great big smile. Knowing I had made a difference to him made my day.
Tuesday 27th June:
On Tuesday I went to Lewisham hospital gardens. Despite being only a year old the beautifully designed gardens have many plants growing from trees to wildflowers and many fruits and vegetables.
I helped with general tasks, thinning out and replanting lettuces, watering and picking radishes. While I was gardening, I spoke with volunteers from the local community, showing me how much of a positive impact the gardens have had.
I also had a chance to speak to the project manager Alice, who told me about her role in the project and working for RHS as well as plans for further projects similar to this one. There is an idea of putting a wildlife pond in the gardens too and I was able to have a chat with a health and safety officer regarding implications of putting a wildlife pond in a public space. This made me think about legal aspects of conservation which can often be a major barrier.
Afterwards, Amy showed me the nearby newly planted ‘Tiny Forest’ which I had never heard of before and was enthused by such a great conservation idea to boost biodiversity in such a small space and within urban areas. Seeing so many community-integrated conservation projects has really showed me how much the local community wants to get involved and how essential this is to the project’s success.
Wednesday 28th June:
I had no sessions booked in so used this time to write this work experience blog as well as writing up a few social media posts.
I also had a zoom call with Kelvin, a manager of another project at Froglife called the ‘London Blue Chain Project’ giving me an insight into further projects I could get involved in. I will be volunteering for the Blue Chain Project in the future and am grateful to have had the chance to make this connection. Kelvin also spoke to me about the conservation sector as a whole and how he started working in conservation which was very interesting to hear about.
Thursday 29th June:
On Thursday I went to The Rookery community gardens in Streatham common. The lovely gardens have two large ponds and lots of plants growing.
Due to the rain that morning I managed to see lots of tiny froglets hopping about the gardens which was a highlight as I had never seen froglets before.
We worked with a large, chatty, and enthusiastic group who were lively as soon as they arrived and didn’t let the weather dampen their spirits. Just like Monday, our task was to sample water from the two ponds and send it off for DNA testing as well as testing the water for other things like PH and nitrate.
Due to the large size of the group, we split into two smaller groups and each group tested one sample. I lead one of the groups which gave me great experience in managing people, leadership skills and working as a team. Everyone had a go and got involved which was great to see and were very intrigued by the process of using the scientific equipment.
Afterwards we had a nice walk around the gardens and managed to spot a few froglets hopping around, before siting down and all having a nice chat with tea and biscuits. It was great to see everyone smiling and enjoying themselves and when leaving everyone said they had a great time.
Friday 30th June:
I had no sessions on Friday, so I finished up this work experience blog and an end-of-placement feedback form as well as writing up a few posts for Froglife’s social media. I also had my final zoom call with Amy, my placement coordinator, to say thank you for everything. I am sad that the week is over, but so grateful for such a valuable experience in which the knowledge and skills learnt will stay with me for the future.
PAN UK: Pesticide-Free London Campaign
There is a growing groundswell of support for a pesticide-free London among the capital’s decision-makers and residents.
One-third of London’s 32 Boroughs have already phased out, or significantly reduced, their use of pesticides while others have commitments in place to take action. London is already one of the greenest cities in the world and the first to be designated a National Park City.
Right now, there is an unprecedented window of opportunity to make the whole of London pesticide-free. By phasing out unnecessary pesticide use, we can make the city greener and support urban biodiversity, as well as the health of those who live, work, study and play in the capital. It’s high time that London followed the example of other major cities like Paris, Toronto and New York by banning pesticides from public spaces.
A pesticide-free London is in our sights and by working together we can secure a healthier and more sustainable future for both people and wildlife.
PAN UK sent Freedom of Information requests to all thirty-two London borough councils in September and October 2021. Thirty-one councils responded (all but Ealing Council). Read a summary of their findings here and find out about the pesticides being used in your borough by clicking on the map on PAN UK’s campaign page here.
What can you do to help?
There are lots of ways to make a difference in your borough which you can adapt depending on the amount of time you have available. There are tonnes of resources and ideas on PAN UK’s campaign page here.
Reptiles in London
Although London is a large urban landscape, it is home to a wide range of fauna and flora. One group of London wildlife that is often overlooked are the reptiles. London is home to four native reptile species: Adder, Grass Snake, Common Lizard and Slow-worm.
If you are inspired to go out and look for London’s reptiles, here’s a couple of site suggestions for 3 of the most common species to find around the capital from courtesy of our London team.
- Little Wormwood Scrubs, Kensington & Chelsea
- Lesnes Abbey, Bexley
- WaterWorks Nature Reserve, Waltham Forest
Remember to report your reptile sightings (including juveniles and eggs) on our free Dragonfinder app.