Grounds Maintenance, Landscape Creation, Arboriculture, Sports Surfacing, Parks management, IOS Managing Safely Training, Ecology & Biodiversity, Grass cutting, Horticulture, Street Cleaning, Soft Landscaping, Hard Landscaping
idverde provides a wide range of green services, including grounds maintenance, landscape creation, and advice services, to both private and public sectors across the UK.
This month marks eight years of dedicated partnership between idverde and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Since 2017, this collaboration has now embedded six permanent RSPB advisers within idverde teams, guiding the transformation of thousands of hectares, across urban parks, nature reserves, and housing developments, into thriving wildlife habitats.
Advisers work alongside idverde staff, from London’s Wormwood Scrubs and QEOP, Charnwood, and Northern Ireland – shaping contracts to deliver conservation led land management.
Year Eight Highlights: What Our Advisers Delivered in the Last 12 Months
It’s been another action-packed year of protecting and enhancing nature, marked by exciting progress and new collaborations. We were thrilled to welcome Amelie Pohl as our new idverde/RSPB Nature Engagement Officer in Barrow-in-Furness, expanding our reach and impact. From habitat creation and species monitoring to community engagement and education, our advisers have delivered incredible results. Here are just some of the standout moments from the past 12 months:
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (Tom Bellamy, Advisor)
Tom’s year at QEOP has been full of exciting achievements and discoveries. In February, he constructed three bee banks using different materials and a beetle bank made from crushed brick, creating vital habitats for pollinators. March brought more biodiversity wins with the recording of two new bee species, the installation of solitary bee hotels in South Park, and confirmation that kestrels are breeding on-site. By April, Tom had added a loggery to support small mammals, further enriching the park’s ecosystem.
Summer was a season of remarkable finds and outreach. June and July saw the identification of two new orchid species, Common Spotted and Broad-Leaved Helleborine, alongside the rare Deptford Pink, a Schedule 8 protected plant. Butterfly and bee surveys revealed a thriving environment, with Purple Hairstreak butterflies and an impressive 76 bee species recorded. In August, pond surveys uncovered abundant damselfly nymphs, while meadow assessments showed wildflower coverage reaching 60%, edging closer to the 70% target for 2030. Wildlife highlights included the first Wheatear spotted on Hopkins Field and even a rescued feral pigeon taken to a rehab centre, reflecting the team’s dedication to every creature.
October rounded off the anniversary year with pond clearance and planting, adding 200 plants to marginal areas and introducing five new species to the GBG pond. Tom also matched his personal best by recording 42 bird species in a single day, including standout sightings of Peregrine Falcon, Kingfisher, and Meadow Pipit.
Wormwood Scrubs (Kate McVay, Advisor)
Kate’s year at Wormwood Scrubs was marked by impressive achievements in both habitat management and community engagement. January began with a hedgelaying training course in Charnwood and participation in the Big Garden Birdwatch, setting the tone for a hands on start to the year. February saw the end of the scrub-cutting season, with an incredible 4,000 square metres cleared by hand alongside volunteers, helping the site reach its ambitious target of one hectare. In March, Kate coordinated the planting of 400 trees with volunteers and led a Great British Spring Clean litter-picking event, reinforcing her commitment to biodiversity and community involvement.
Summer brought a dynamic mix of ecological monitoring and outreach. In June, Kate hosted a Creative Walk with Imperial Health Charity, took part in London Climate Action Week, and spoke on a panel at the Climate Summit, advocating for community-led habitat management. Monitoring efforts revealed encouraging signs of biodiversity, including rising slow-worm records, 242 butterflies and moths, and active bat populations detected via AudioMoth devices.
July and August continued the momentum with BALI judging, butterfly counts with Imperial College, and gardening for wildlife workshops. Kate also supported green space improvements on housing estates and helped shape future plans for scrub and meadow management, ensuring Wormwood Scrubs remains a thriving urban oasis.
Northern Ireland (Conal McDonagh, Advisor)
Conal’s work at Stormont this year has centred on advancing pollinator conservation and enhancing biodiversity. Early in the year, he began implementing a new grassland maintenance regime, creating long grass and wildflower areas to support pollinators. The decision was made to enter the Green Flag Pollinator Awards in 2026, with preparation and significant groundwork made this year with bumblebee surveys, wildflower mapping, and bee bank research, setting the stage for future success.
Summer and autumn brought further progress. In July, Conal recruited three volunteers who contributed 15 hours of bumblebee recording, with data uploaded to Ireland’s National Biodiversity Data Centre. August saw approval for bee bank installation and plans for pine marten feeding stations, while interest from Choice Housing in joining the Green Flag initiative highlighted growing community engagement. By October, materials for the bee bank were secured on-site, and work is set to begin soon. Conal also completed training on an ISEKI mower and used a nature-friendly method, cutting grass in an expanding spiral pattern, to manage a wildflower area, demonstrating his commitment to sustainable practices.
Midlands (Ross Bray, Advisor)
Ross has had a productive 12 months driving conservation efforts across the Midlands. January began with hedge laying training days for four idverde operatives and three Charnwood Rangers, resulting in 23 meters of hedge laid in just two days. February brought an exciting ecological record, a Marsh Tit, a Red-listed species, spotted on a Telford site. Over the summer, Ross led tree surveys, installed swift boxes, and supported open farm outreach visits to engage local communities. July’s collaborative bioblitz with local wildlife groups united experts and volunteers to document biodiversity across the region, while August featured a bird ringing event, contributing valuable data for long-term monitoring. In addition, hundreds of habitats and bird boxes were distributed, alongside several swift box installations, reinforcing Ross’s commitment to enhancing wildlife habitats.
Bromley (Luke, Advisor)
Luke’s year in Bromley has been packed with ecological monitoring and habitat management. January and February began with bat hibernation roost surveys, followed in March by small mammal, moth, and pond surveys, which provided valuable insights into local biodiversity. A key discovery during this period was the confirmation of badgers at South Hill Wood, adding to the richness of the area’s wildlife.
As the year progressed, Luke combined conservation work with community engagement. June’s orchid counts at Hangrove revealed an impressive 1,300+ orchids, while surveys of Nature Friendly Verges and sustainable bedding continued throughout the summer. July and August brought bat box installations, invasive non-native species (INNS) removal, and tree health training. Luke also drafted the Crofton Woodland Management Plan (2026–2030) and oversaw the return of Hebridean sheep to Hangrove to aid orchid regeneration. Children were introduced to nature through survival skills sessions, and dragonfly surveys added further depth to the ecological data collected, rounding off 12 months of impactful work.
Westmorland and Furness (Amelie, Advisor)
Amelie joined the team in July and hit the ground running, quickly building relationships and shaping an action plan with Westmorland and Furness Council. Her vision includes enhancing dead wood habitats, introducing pollinator-friendly bedding, and working toward a Green Flag Award. By August, she was actively engaging local friends groups, creating solitary bee habitats, and even organising a graffiti competition to design an interpretation board for Barrow Park. She uncovered existing wildflower meadow management plans and began coordinating with community groups to bring them to life. Most recently, Amelie led seven bat walks attended by over 150 people, launched a newsletter for Friends groups, and trialed pollinator-friendly plant beds on Bowness Promenade, paving the way for a wider rollout across Barrow. In just five months, Amelie has made a big impact, blending creativity, collaboration, and conservation.
Looking Ahead to Year 9
As we build on eight years of impact, from orchid discoveries and grassland restoration, to hedge laying, community volunteering, and award-winning work, our embedded advisers will continue innovating across urban parks, wet woodlands, industrial zones, and housing estates.
We remain committed to, scaling habitat creation and species monitoring tools, embedding RSPB expertise in operational delivery and amplifying community engagement through events, surveys, and volunteering.
