Chiswick's wild side
Nov 16, 2021
Green spaces are important for our health and also for the wellbeing of the animals around us. Many species are increasingly vulnerable yet can adapt well to living in urban environments - with our help.
WildChiswick is a community organisation that aims to increase awareness of the natural world in and around W4. This is achieved via talks, events and research, and by implementing responses to support vulnerable species.
The initiative was set up during lockdown by Chiswick resident Joanne Gilbert, starting with a project looking at the local hedgehog population. Using social media to record the whereabouts of these lovable creatures, she has been able to map the areas of Chiswick where they have been spotted.
The project has since expanded to include regular walks and talks promoting greater understanding of our garden birds, bees, foxes and bats.
Joanne will be talking at the Chiswick Flower Market on 5th December. Go along to find out how to make a hedgehog happy and join 'Chiswick Hedgehog Highways' by contacting Joanne at hogs@wildchiswick.com
Mike Toms, Head of Communications at the British Trust for Ornithology is giving a Zoom talk on 25th November at 7.30pm. Mike will share research and topics such as - why are birds in our gardens and who wakes first? Why birds have different dialects in different parts of the country, why they sing louder in some areas, diseases they suffer from and what we can grow in our gardens to help them.
Bats and bees
Previous events include Zoom talks about bats with Philip Briggs of The Bat Conservation Trust and an introduction to the work of garden bees by naturalist and author Brigit Strawbridge Howard.
