A Summer of Biodiversity Action Across the UK

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (Advisor: Tom)

Tom’s summer at QEOP was packed with discoveries and outreach. June and July saw the identification of two new orchid species, Common Spotted and Broad-Leaved Helleborin, alongside the rare Deptford Pink, a Schedule 8 protected plant. Butterfly and bee surveys revealed a thriving ecosystem, with Purple Hairstreak butterflies and 76 bee species recorded.

Tom’s work gained media attention, with interviews featured on BBC Radio, the BBC website, Waitrose magazine, and Pro Landscape Magazine. He also shared biodiversity gardening tips with residents at Chobham Manor and contributed to a UCL sustainability walkabout.

In August, pond surveys revealed abundant damselfly nymphs, and meadow assessments showed some areas reaching 60% wildflower coverage, edging closer to the 70% target by 2030. Notably, the first Wheatear was recorded on Hopkins Field, and a feral pigeon was even taxied to a rehab centre, highlighting the team’s dedication to every creature.

Wormwood Scrubs (Advisor: Kate)

Kate led a dynamic programme of ecological and community engagement at Wormwood Scrubs. June highlights included a Creative Walk with Imperial Health Charity, participation in London Climate Action Week, and a panel discussion at the Climate Summit, where she championed community-led habitat management.

Volunteers played a key role, with 95 L’Oréal Citizens Day participants supporting habitat work. Ecological monitoring revealed increasing slow-worm records, 242 butterflies and moths, and active bat populations via AudioMoth detectors.

July and August continued with BALI judging, Imperial College butterfly counts, and gardening for wildlife workshops. Kate also supported green space improvements on housing estates and helped plan future scrub and meadow management.

Northern Ireland (Advisor: Conal)

Conal’s work at Stormont focused on pollinator conservation. Although the descions has been made to postponed entering the Green Flag Pollinator Award to 2026, significant progress has been made made. Bumblebee surveys, wildflower mapping, and bee bank research laid the groundwork for future success.

July saw the recruitment of three volunteers, contributing 15 hours of bumblebee recording, with data uploaded to Ireland’s National Biodiversity Data Centre. In August, approval was granted for bee bank installation, and plans were made for pine marten feeding stations. Interest from Choice Housing in joining the Green Flag initiative signals growing momentum.

Bromley (Advisor: Luke)

Luke’s work in Bromley included extensive habitat management and community engagement. June orchid counts at Hangrove revealed 1300+ orchids, and surveys of Nature Friendly Verges and sustainable bedding continued throughout the summer.

July and August saw bat box installations, INNS removal, and tree health training. The Crofton Woodland Management Plan (2026–2030) was drafted, and Hebridean sheep returned to Hangrove to support orchid regeneration. Children were engaged through survival skills sessions, and dragonfly surveys added to the ecological data.

Midlands (Advisor: Ross)

Ross’s Midlands work included tree surveys, swift box installations, and open farm outreach visit. In July, a collaborative bioblitz with local wildlife groups brought together experts and volunteers to record biodiversity across the region.

August featured a bird ringing event, further contributing to long-term monitoring and conservation efforts.

Barrow-in-Furness (Advisor: Amelie)

Amelie joined in July and quickly began building relationships and developing an action plan with Westmorland and Furness Council. Her ideas include enhancing dead wood habitats, switching to pollinator-friendly bedding, and applying for the Green Flag Award.

August saw her engaging with local friends groups, creating solitary bee habitats, and organising a graffiti competition to design an interpretation board for Barrow Park. She also discovered existing wildflower meadow management plans and began coordinating with local groups to implement them.