Living

London
London Wildlife Trust’s
Annual Review 2007 - 2008

Protecting London’s wildlife for the future


Living London A Living London
London Wildlife Trust’s Annual Review 2007 - 2008 I sometimes fantasise about the
journey of a colourful dragonfly
that can travel from Richmond
to Epping without losing sight
of water and greenery. En-
route the dragonfly pauses on
top of a busy young mother’s
supermarket trolley. Excited
by the beauty of the insect,
she points it out to her amazed
toddler before it continues on its
journey across a Living London.
London Wildlife Trust has a
vision of creating such a Living
London. We envisage a network
of natural spaces, made up
Contents of private gardens and public
places, forming a green web
across the city. This web is
A Living London 3 hugely biodiverse. Wildlife
Observations from the Chair 4 can move freely through it and
people can encounter nature.
Chief Executive’s report 5
Our vision 6 The term Living Landscape
describes projects that are
Our projects 8 designed to be long-term,
Our wild spaces 13
People and Wildlife 18
Working with partners 20
Common blue damselfly © Manfredxy
Generating income 26
Accounts 28
Acknowledgements 29
The year ahead 30
Sites
sustainable solutions to
climate change and habitat
fragmentation. It’s about joining
up good bits of greenspace to
enhance their collective worth
for wildlife. At the same time, it’s
about involving communities
so that they can enjoy their natural
environment.
Conservation and community
projects will be imperilled if
we don’t start facing up to the
realities of our changing climate.
Our city is getting ever hotter and
the increasing risk of flooding
and drought will have an impact
on both people and wildlife.
Creating a Living London is a
challenge but it is a crucial one
and it is achievable. We need to
act now.
Chris Packham
President
www.wildlondon.org.uk 3

Observations from the Chair
For an organisation that has a
turnover of around £2m, London
Wildlife Trust hits way above its
weight. Few nights seem to go
by without one of our volunteers
or staff appearing in the media,
knee-deep in one of London’s
rivers or working hard at one of
our reserves.
It seems that the media trust us
to provide an upbeat story about
this great city and they often turn
to us to critique environmental
announcements from the
Mayor or from government.
That trust has to be earned and
this process has taken time to
develop. We could not have
earned it without hard work at all
levels of the organisation.
The last year saw us continue
to move from a financially
challenging position to one
of relative stability. New staff
are able to build on the work
of previous colleagues and
4 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future
Justin Dillon © Jamie Grier
Chief Executive’s report
take London Wildlife Trust to 2007-2008 was a good year
new heights. We now have the for London Wildlife Trust. We
most talented team that I can attracted more funds and more
remember working for us. new supporters than ever before.
The Olympics loom on the The work of Council went from
horizon and development in strength to strength. They
the Thames Gateway is set to provided us with an excellent
create new challenges for the governance structure that
people and wildlife of the area. ensured greater transparency
However, we must not lose sight and probity. My personal thanks
of what’s happening in the rest go to the Board of Trustees,
of this region and we will keep a particularly the honorary officers,
watchful eye on developments for their valued contributions
across the whole capital. throughout the year.
The work of our staff and London Wildlife Trust has
volunteers during 2007-2008 become a much more efficient
must rank as one of London organisation over the last twelve
Wildlife Trust’s greatest months. We benefited hugely
achievements. When people look from creating two director-level
back in years to come, they will roles covering biodiversity
recognise this year as being a conservation and fundraising/
turning point for London and its marketing. Our staff structure
wildlife. grew and adapted to changing
circumstances. Our Conservation
Justin Dillon Team, in particular, is now bigger
Chairman and more expert than ever.
We are now taking a lead on
key biodiversity projects, such
as river restoration and Design
Projects
Carlo Laurenzi © Chris Wood
for Biodiversity, as well as
developing our reserves as
exemplars of conservation land
management. Our People and
Wildlife Team was increasingly
successful, carrying out some
crucial consultation and
community engagement projects
in deprived areas of London.
Our profile also rose throughout
London and the rest of the UK,
with some fantastic local and
national media coverage.
We continued to be very active
within The Wildlife Trusts
movement, contributing to a
range of national forums, as well
nurturing close ties with Wildlife
Trusts in neighbouring counties.
We hope that London will
become a Wildlife Trust region in
its own right next year.
My appreciation and thanks
go to supporters, members,
volunteers and funders for
helping us to achieve so much
for London’s wildlife.
Carlo Laurenzi OBE
Chief Executive
www.wildlondon.org.uk 5
 Our vision Our vision

London is a big city with lots of

Working development pressures but it is much

greener than most people think.

for a
Emily Brennan,
Director of Biodiversity Conservation

Living London
Challenges ahead
It will be challenging to achieve
our vision of a Living London.
Urban wildlife and wild spaces
suffer from a range of problems,
including the loss, degradation
Read more about our innovative
Design for Biodiversity work on
page 11, while on page 12 find
out about our plans to further
develop a Living Landscape by
chalking up London’s downs.

Living roof © Justin Bere, Bere Associates, Canonbury, Islington

London is a big city with lots of
development pressures but it is
much greener than most people
think. Two thirds of London
is covered by greenspace and
water, while private gardens
alone make up over a fifth of the
total land area. This offers great
potential for landscape-level
conservation projects, and we
are dedicated to delivering The
Wildlife Trusts’ Living Landscape
approach in London.
Links across London
The spread of Sites of
Importance for Nature
Conservation across London
shows there are many
opportunities to link up wildlife
sites. This could be, for example,
by expanding existing wildlife
sites and by creating and
enhancing habitat corridors
between sites.
We also need to show how
biodiversity is relevant to
issues on the political agenda in
London, such as climate change.
The Wildlife Trust vision of a
Living Landscape is one where
places rich in wildlife can adapt
to climate change and support
sustainable local economies,
healthy cities and greenspace
for all.
Wildlife values
At London Wildlife Trust, we
have been working with a wide
range of organisations and
individuals for many years
to demonstrate why wildlife
matters.
and fragmentation of habitats, And from page 13 onwards,
as well as pollution, invasive discover how London Wildlife
species and climate change. Trust’s nature reserves and the
Huge numbers of homes are partnerships we are nurturing
likely to be built over the next with other organisations all have
few decades, including over vital roles to play in creating a
10,000 in just one development in Living London.
the Thames Gateway. Many new
homes will be built on gardens More than a tenth of the entire UK
or urban brownfield sites, which population lives in the capital,
can be wildlife-rich habitats. so, by protecting and enhancing
the wildlife and wild places of
Making progress our city, we can offer millions of
The Trust is making progress. people the opportunity to connect
On pages 8-9 you will read about with and benefit from nature.
our vital river restoration work,
and the importance of a creating
a network of healthy waterways.
London, like many other We are campaigning to protect
urban areas, can be a haven gardens from the threat of
for wildlife. Wildlife-rich inappropriate development.
greenspaces, where people We are encouraging Londoners
can relax and enjoy outdoor to improve their gardens for
activities, are now recognised as wildlife and to help mitigate
crucial to health and wellbeing. against and adapt to the impact
Projects that help wildlife often of climate change. See page 10
have many other benefits. Living for more.
roofs, for example, create habitat
for bees and other wildlife. But In the building industry, many
they can also help to regulate developers are recognising the
the temperature of buildings benefits of creating habitats for
and, by absorbing rainfall, wildlife and linking them to form
reduce the risk of flash flooding. a network of open spaces through
which wildlife can move freely.

6 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future www.wildlondon.org.uk 7

 Our projects
The Crane Valley Project
Our projects
Neil Ireland, Conservation Ecologist
This year, on behalf of the Crane
Valley Partnership, we prepared
a proposal to the Heritage
Lottery Fund for a package of
London’s extensive river network is vital for wildlife but biodiversity conservation work
and community involvement to
is under constant pressure from the demands of modern revitalise the Crane Valley.
urban life. We have made river restoration a priority and are
The long-term aim of the project
preparing a strategy that will guide what we need to do to is to enhance the River Crane
corridor, which is already
restore key river systems in the capital. Our Living Landscape important for people and
vision is of rivers rich in wildlife, used and appreciated by
wildlife but faces many threats.
The partnership selected three
many Londoners. priority areas: Roxbourne Park in
Renata Kowalik, Conservation Programmes Manager
The Water Vole Project
Louise Wells, Water Vole Project Manager
This year was an important
one for the water vole. In 2008
it finally received full legal
protection, and it is now against
the law to intentionally kill a
water vole or to intentionally or
recklessly damage or disturb
the places they use for shelter
or protection. The legislation
should help to give the water
vole a safer future.
London Wildlife Trust’s
contribution to action for the
water vole continued through
our Water Vole Project and as
the lead organisation for the
London Water Vole Species
Action Plan.
This year we prepared for
the planned release of water
voles on the River Wandle. We
worked with one of our funders,
Carillion Plc, to enhance the
8 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future
Harrow, Yeading Brook Fields in
Hillingdon and Ealing and Crane
Park in Hounslow and Richmond.
These areas illustrated the variety
of the landscape of the Crane
Valley and also demonstrated
many of the pressures on
London’s urban rivers.
These pressures are increasing
with the demand for houses and
improved transport, impacts
that will be exacerbated by the
effects of climate change.
London Wildlife Trust site at
Spencer Road Wetland in Sutton,
and with the National Trust at
its site at Watermeads near
Mitcham. The Western Riverside
Environmental Fund supported
a feasibility study on enhancing
the River Wandle at King George
Park in Sutton.
Our project staff carried out
water vole and mink surveys
(funded by SITA) along the
river catchments of the Colne,
Ingrebourne and Roding.
Surveys of the Inner Thames
Marshes were repeated during
the year at Wennington and
Aveley Marshes and Erith
Southern Marsh. The results
showed that water vole
populations had responded well
to habitat management and
enhancement work at these sites.
Our projects
The priority areas chosen would
help to link together wildlife
habitat in the Crane Valley and
provide a framework for the
conservation of wetland, reed
bed, grassland and woodland
across local government
boundaries.
Securing funding for this
important project is a priority for
the Trust.
Volunteers continued to help
with surveying. This year
they worked at Walthamstow
Marshes, Turkey Brook and
Erith Marshes. Our Water Vole
Away Day was well attended by
volunteers.
The Water Vole Project also
received a lot of media attention,
and staff attended many events,
such as the Wandle Festival, Lee
Valley Bird Fair and the Thames
Festival. We commented and
Water vole © Andrew Parkinson
advised on a range of projects
and planning applications,
and project staff contributed
to several working groups,
including the London River
Restoration Steering Group.
www.wildlondon.org.uk 9
 Our projects Our projects

Design for Biodiversity

Urban areas can play their part in creating a Living Landscape.

Development and regeneration don’t have to fragment
habitats or threaten the survival of species.
Graeme Duckworth, Design for Biodiversity Officer
London Wildlife Trust is a over the next 20 years. We have Examples of D4B’s proposals are
partner in Design for Biodiversity suggested ideas for maximising the incorporation of biodiversity

Garden in a Skip © Jamie Grier

(D4B), an initiative to encourage,
inform and assist London’s
developers in making the right
decisions for biodiversity and
people’s access to nature. D4B
emphasises the importance of
creating features to enhance
and connect biodiversity in the
design of the built environment
Wildlife Gardening campaign and open spaces.
Barking Riverside
There are over three million gardens in London and they make D4B has been collaborating
the opportunities for biodiversity
and advised on how to achieve
the best possible outcomes for
people and wildlife, during and
after the regeneration effort.
Barking Riverside covers 420
acres and 40% of the land has
been allocated as connected
greenspace. This ranges
from urban green corridors
and amenity parkland to a
dedicated wildlife reserve. The
features into the design of
sustainable urban drainage
systems, along with looking for
opportunities to create living
roofs. Other examples include
finding ways to minimise
potential impacts on birds
using the inter-tidal mudflat
and on water voles in local
watercourses. The installation
of nesting boxes and nesting
banks, selection of appropriate
tree species for urban areas in

up over one fifth of the capital’s area. Gardens are a defence

with the design team at Barking greenspace is for the enjoyment the face of climate change, and
Riverside, the largest residential of communities but will also identification of opportunities

against climate change, provide valuable habitat for wildlife development in the Thames
Gateway, where 10,800 homes
and are important breathing spaces for people. will be built on ex-industrial land
provide north-south and east-
west connections in east
London’s Green Grid.
for invertebrates to shelter are
further examples of the benefits
that D4B can bring.

Catherine Harris, Campaigns and Communications Manager

Inter-tidal mudflat at Barking Riverside © Graeme Duckworth

Gardens in London are under
threat. Back gardens are being
built on and front gardens
are being paved over to make
space for cars. Gardens can
also become ‘wildlife deserts’ if
designed or managed in ways
that discourage wildlife.
This year we launched our ‘Save
London’s Gardens’ campaign to
highlight the important issue of
London’s disappearing gardens.
The campaign, which called for
legislative change to protect
gardens, received support
from MPs, London Assembly
Members, businesses, our local
groups and the public.
Another key objective of
the campaign was to help
Londoners understand how
important gardens are for an
amazing variety of wildlife, from
hedgehog and stag beetle to
house sparrow and common frog.
To achieve this objective we took
our message out to Londoners.
Our travelling Garden In A
Skip, sponsored by Veolia
Environmental Services, won a
bronze award at Hampton Court
Palace Flower Show and caused
a stir at London events during
the summer of 2007.
Designed by Ruth Holmes of
The Royal Parks and planted
by the Trust’s expert wildlife
gardener, this creative urban
garden engaged thousands
of Londoners and generated
an impressive range of media
coverage for the campaign.

10 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future www.wildlondon.org.uk 11

 Our projects Our wild spaces

Chalking up London’s downs

Our wild spaces
London’s chalk Work continued this year on London Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves play a vital role in
downs are part of the restoration of our chalk
downland sites in Bromley providing London with a Living Landscape. We have a wide
a cross-boundary and Croydon. These habitats,
variety of habitats under our stewardship and a remarkable
which were traditionally grazed,
Living Landscape

Camley Street Natural Park © Christopher John Ball

deteriorate very quickly if they spread of sizes of reserves, both staffed and un-staffed.
scale project. We
are not managed appropriately.
Despite significant volunteer Tom Clarke, Conservation Land Manager
need to develop the input, the sites had suffered
because we had to cut the
project further to grass by hand or mechanically.
With around 100 acres to do,
have an impact on the job was beyond us and the

our neighbouring only sustainable option was to

reinstate grazing.
landowners. By
We began working in partnership
working with with the Old Surrey Downs

others, we can
Project, which is supported by
the Heritage Lottery Fund, to

create a much restore this valuable downland

habitat in south London and
London Wildlife Trust manages
over 50 sites in the capital. We
The project will help to inform
land managers about climate
larger, functioning north Surrey. The Old Surrey aim to create valuable resources change proofing and how
Downs Project is based at a farm for local communities while design can help wildlife adapt
ecological system
The current and
and has a herd of animals that delivering maximum benefits to climate change. It will put

that will give can be moved round the chalk for biodiversity. We will be London at the forefront of urban
downland sites to carry out the
predicted impacts concentrating our efforts on environmental management and
London’s chalk required grazing. those sites that have the greatest climate change mitigation. We
of climate change wildlife value, or potential are investigating whether our
grassland the We cleared an immense value, and that are identified proposed new ‘Climate Change
mean we have to
best chance for
amount of scrub from our site as priorities within our Living Park’ could be used as an
at Hutchinson’s Bank over the
reconsider how Landscape framework. This education and monitoring centre.

surviving in the winter in preparation for fencing approach will bring bigger gains
and grazing in autumn 2008. we manage urban for wildlife, and will help us This year
long term. Grazing and scrub removal often prioritise our work and engage Over the next few pages we focus
greenspaces
Chalk down © Helen Babbs

look destructive to start with, with other key landowners. on key activities that occurred on
Tom Clarke, but we expect positive results our staffed sites this year, but of

Conservation Land almost immediately. You are

likely to see more small blue
The future
The predicted impacts of
Manager butterflies and the nationally- climate change mean we have
rare man orchid. Both were to reconsider how we manage
once common species but have urban greenspaces. As we look
declined because of habitat loss to the future, London Wildlife
and insufficient management. Trust has been developing a
plan for a ‘Climate Change Park’.
course many hours of dedicated
work have gone into maintaining
our unstaffed reserves too. A big
thank you to all the volunteers
and local group members who
worked on our reserves during
2007-2008.

12 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future www.wildlondon.org.uk 13

 Our wild spaces
East
and West
Reservoirs,
Hackney
David Mooney, Education,
Wildlife and Outreach Manager
This year a new eco-classroom
and wildlife garden (funded by
Thames Water) opened at our
newest site, the East Reservoir
in Hackney. The site aims to
reflect the needs of the local
community, who we consulted
extensively before opening.
We successfully completed
an ecology fieldwork project
for secondary schools and
organised a number of all-day
fieldwork sessions (funded by
London Councils) for seven
secondary schools in Hackney.
We continued to deliver
educational visits and study
support for primary schools
with funding from the London
Borough of Hackney and the
Learning Trust, while our holiday
activities proved as popular as
ever.
14 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future
Centre
for Wildlife
Gardening,
Southwark
Adam Smith, Business
Development Manager
2007-2008 was a good one for
the Centre. We received another
Green Pennant Award from the
Civic Trust and we also won the
Best Wildlife Garden award from
Southwark in Bloom.
We were at the forefront of
promoting wildlife gardening and
sustainable living in London. We
contributed to the Trust’s ‘Save
London’s Gardens’ campaign by
highlighting the disappearance
of many London gardens and the
importance of gardens to wildlife,
people and the environment.
We took our wildlife gardening
messages to many events, such
as Tree Day, Frog Day, Bellenden
Summer Party and Blooms and
Bees Day. The Cossall Estate Fun
Day allowed us to reach a wider
range of people and involve them
in wildlife gardening.
We promoted the work of London
Wildlife Trust and the Centre for
Wildlife Gardening through CBBC
and BBC London broadcasts, as
well as articles in The Guardian,
Time Out, Southwark Life and
Southwark News.
Our wild spaces
Camley Street
Natural Park,
Camden
Tom Clarke, Conservation Land
Manager
This year Camley Street Natural
Park won its first Green Flag
Award for managing the park
as a quality public greenspace,
while the Budding Together
Project won an award from
Camden and Islington Mental
Health Trust for making the most
difference to people’s lives.
We started a graduate
trainee scheme offering work
experience in conservation
land management, and, over
the summer term of 2007, we
delivered 50 education sessions
for primary schools. Our popular
family events provided lots of
free activities for local people.
Numerous companies arranged
for their staff to volunteer at
Camley Street, and we began
a partnership with the London
Natural History Society, providing
a meeting space in exchange for
its members’ expertise in species
identification.
East Reservoir © Jamie Grier
We continued to attract visitors
from all over the world, and
were voted as one of the best
examples of urban nature
conservation in the UK by the
University of Sheffield.
www.wildlondon.org.uk 15
 Our wild spaces
Crane Park
Island,
Richmond
Alex Robb, Site Manager
Two successful fundraising
bids allowed us to launch
new projects and recruit extra
staff. We appointed a Heritage
Education Officer (funded by
the Heritage Lottery Fund) and
a Participation Co-ordinator to
lead a volunteering project for
young people.
The Shot Tower was open to
visitors for 43 days and we
estimate 1,750 people visited.
Between May and September,
950 children came on school
trips to Crane Park Island. Three
of the schools were visiting
for the first time. Monthly
volunteer work days continued,
and, throughout the year, 149
volunteers carried out more
than 548 hours of work.
Examples of creative projects
delivered during 2007-2008
include a photography course
run with the Star Centre, a
drop-in centre for mental health
service users in Hounslow. We
also ran Art Goes Wild, where
families learned new art skills
and found out about the wildlife
of Crane Park Island. Work from
both projects went on display at
the Shot Tower.
16 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future
Gunnersbury
Triangle,
Hounslow
Honorata Bor, Warden
The warden and volunteers
arranged a varied programme of
events throughout the summer
of 2007. Thanks to efficient
publicity and the invaluable help
of volunteers, all the events
were very popular and well
attended, despite the rainy
weather.
Volunteers continued their
weekly conservation workdays.
The warden also recruited
several trainee wardens, who
each committed at least one
full day a week and helped with
the site management, practical
work and events.
We completed a survey of the
pond fauna in August 2007 and
we hope to repeat this annually
to provide information on the
pond habitat, wildlife and water
quality. We also introduced a
reptile and amphibian survey,
which will be repeated in early
spring every year.
Our wild spaces
Sydenham Hill
Wood,
Southwark
Colin Higgins, Site Manager
This year many of our activities
aimed to encourage new groups
of people to visit and enjoy the
wood and nearby greenspaces.
We organised talks and walks
for local schools and youth
groups, a guided walk for blind
and visually-impaired visitors
and a hugely successful art
festival, Upstaging Nature,
where visitors encountered
works of modern art throughout
the wood.
Wildlife events continued to
be very popular. Our fungi,
lichen, bird, flower, bat and
moth events all attracted good
numbers. Several species
were recorded for the first
time, including the tree-lichen
beauty moth Cryphia algae
and the fungus Crepidotus
cinnabarinus.
As part of the Woodland Bat
Sydenham Hill Wood © Metalanguage Design
Roost Project, we put up bat
boxes in the wood and carried
out extensive survey work
over the summer, identifying
five different bat species. The
Woodland Bat Roost project
is funded by SITA Trust with
money and help from the
London Boroughs of Southwark
and Lewisham.
www.wildlondon.org.uk 17
 People and Wildlife People and Wildlife

People and
Our group in Barking and
Dagenham continued to grow,
working at The Chase Local
This year we Nature Reserve, Eastbrookend
Going Local
This research project, led by
our Outreach Development
Manager, worked with diverse

put Londoners
Wildlife
Country Park and Dagenham communities to discover
Parish Churchyard, where they what was needed to make

at the heart of made headlines in the local

press. They also helped to create
greenspace more accessible
to all Londoners. The Trust
what we do. Our a wildlife garden at Rush Green organised workshops with the

new People and

School in Dagenham and joined Black Londoners Forum, Camden

Pond dipping at Camley Street Natural Park © Christopher John Ball

other volunteers to transform a Lesbian Gay Bisexual and

Wildlife Team disused cemetery in Islington. Transgender Forum, Action for

the Blind and a range of youth
led our work Youth Offending Projects groups. The research (funded by
This year we worked with both the Heritage Lottery Fund) found
in education, Barking and Dagenham and that meaningful participation

volunteering,
Newham Youth Offending Services and community ownership were
to give young offenders experience crucial to developing accessible

working with of practical nature conservation.

The projects (funded by Crime
greenspaces for all.

young people, Concern, the Mark Leonard Trust Access to Natural

Greenspace
outreach and
and the JJ Charitable Trust)
covered a range of activities, We consulted the diverse

engagement. We including building steps and

fences, improving board walks and
are committed planting and looking after trees.
The young people learnt about
to making our their local environment, developed
communities living near East
and West Reservoirs in Stoke
Newington for this research project
(funded by Natural England).

greenspaces
team skills and worked towards This part of Hackney is an area
Education of the pack, as well as advice and habitats across London certificates in correct use of tools of social deprivation where local

accessible and This year we worked with EC1

New Deal for Communities
enjoyable for all. to produce ‘Green Schools’,
Leah McNally,
a resource pack for primary
schools. The pack aims to enable
training in attracting wildlife to
their school grounds.
Volunteering
Volunteering continues to be
through practical conservation
workdays. They successfully
and successful completion of tasks. people previously have had very
little contact with nature. We
campaigned on local biodiversity Young volunteers piloted consultation methods
and environmental issues In 2007-2008 we launched the that were appropriate to the
and represented the Trust at Viva Veolia Project, a youth different ages, ethnicity and

People and teachers to use the many hands-

on learning opportunities that
Wildlife Manager are available in greenspaces.
It is based on our experience
and expertise in linking outdoor
education to the National
Curriculum at Key Stages 1 and 2.
We secured funding to print
‘Green Schools’ and to run four
regional launch events at our
staffed nature reserves. In total,
62 teachers attended these
events and received a free copy
a vital part of our work. A big
thank you to all those people
who have volunteered with
us. An Outreach Volunteering
Officer began work at the Trust
in August 2007. This new role
will support volunteers, improve
communications, coordinate
volunteering across the Trust
and recruit new volunteers from
under-represented groups.
This year, local volunteers
helped to maintain wildlife
local events. Volunteers also
contributed to the success of
volunteering project funded by
The Veolia Environmental Trust
needs of the communities. The
aim was to find out why the
London-wide events, such as and ‘v’, the youth volunteering reservoirs were under-used
the Wildlife Gardening Day and charity, based at Crane Park by local people. Next year we
Hampton Court Palace Flower Island. It provided a range of plan to seek further funding to
Show. volunteering opportunities for implement the research findings.
16-25 year olds and enabled
Examples of success this year them to gain new skills, such as
include our work with new habitat management, tool use,
volunteers on innovative urban river clearance and teamwork.
projects, such as the Greenway
and Hackney’s East Reservoir.
Both projects aim to be volunteer-
led and involve local communities.

18 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future www.wildlondon.org.uk 19

 Working with partners
Working with
partners
Partnerships are crucial to London Wildlife Trust. Through
working with a wide range of individuals and organisations we
can increase our capacity, deliver more benefits for biodiversity
and engage with many more Londoners.
Emily Brennan, Director of Biodiversity Conservation
The Wildlife Trusts and
other NGOs
This year we continued to work
closely with other Wildlife Trusts.
We started to develop cross-
boundary Living Landscape
projects for the Lee Valley with
Hertfordshire and Middlesex
Wildlife Trust and for the North
Downs with Kent Wildlife Trust.
Our work with Kent and Essex
Wildlife Trusts continued on
Thames Gateway issues and
we are seeking funding for a
joint wildlife officer in the Colne
Valley. We also benefited from
a closer relationship with our
parent body, the Royal Society of
Wildlife Trusts.
Our work with other organisations
went from strength to strength.
We continued to develop existing
partnerships with organisations
such as the London Biodiversity
Partnership, Groundwork
London, The Wandle Trust, the
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust,
Green Corridor and the Friends of
the River Crane Environment, to
name just a few.
20 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future
Working with partners
Working with business
Our links with London’s business
community continued to grow
this year. In recognition of
this growth in our corporate
relationships, we appointed a
full-time Corporate Partnership
Manager in January 2008 to
continue to develop this source
of support in future.
Corporate teams contributed 11
days to improving our nature
reserves around London, while
an example of great partnership
work included our Garden
Working with government In A Skip project where our
In 2007-2008, we strengthened sponsor, Veolia Environmental
our partnerships with Services, provided a modified
government agencies such skip and the means to transport
as The Royal Parks, and we it to important events around
continued to build a strong London.
relationship with Natural England
in London, holding a series of We secured sponsorship from
joint workshops to develop our Ethos Recycling for our 2006-
strategic partnership. 2007 Annual Report, while
Argent sponsored our London
Our relationships with the 2100 conference and AGM in
Corporate teamwork at Camley Street Natural Park © Jamie Grier
Greater London Authority November. We also received
and the London Development important project funding from
Agency were strengthened Reed Elsevier and The Presidents
through the ‘Design for Club to produce the ‘Green
Biodiversity’ project, and Schools’ outdoor education
we continued our important resource pack.
work on river restoration and
species conservation with the
Environment Agency and other
partners. We also continued to
build on relationships with other
governmental organisations,
such as the local boroughs.
www.wildlondon.org.uk 21
 Working with partners
Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL)
Mandy Rudd, GiGL Director
Greenspace Information
for Greater London (GiGL)
saw another increase in its
partnership, staff team and
data holdings this year. By
the end of the financial year,
GiGL undertook GiGL employed six members
several significant
of staff and had a long-term
volunteer working with the
contracts this year team, inputting data on behalf of
London Natural History Society.
The partnership increased by
15 partners, bringing the total
to 34. Our species records rose
from 644,000 to 782,000, while
habitat records rose from 56,000
to 62,000.
We undertook several significant
contracts. Under a year’s
contract with The Royal Parks,
we employed a new member
22 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future
of staff to work exclusively on
setting up biodiversity data
systems for them. This year
we also began a contract for
the Greater London Authority.
GiGL’s new Open Space Officer
worked closely with contacts in
each of the London boroughs
to create the first ever regional
dataset of open space data.
Demands on GiGL’s data search
service also increased this year.
GiGL’s Information Officer ran
546 reports for consultancies
and members of the public
during the 2007-2008 financial
year, up from 389 in 2006-2007.
The income generated by the
service rose by 25%.
Surveying the scene
John Dobson, Habitat Survey Project Manager
In 2007 London Wildlife Trust’s
Survey Team was contracted
to conduct the Open Space
and Habitat Survey of the
London Boroughs of Enfield and
Lambeth on behalf of the Greater
London Authority. Both surveys
went well and we recorded a
range of interesting habitats and
species in each borough. One
setback was the weather in 2007,
particularly early in the season,
when wind, rain and hail kept us
on our (slightly damp) toes.
The Trust’s Business Development
Manager played an invaluable
role in extending and diversifying
the work of the Survey Team. In
2007, we surveyed Greenwich
Working with partners
Surveying in all weathers © John Dobson
Park, Hyde Park and Kensington
Gardens for The Royal Parks.
Using Trust surveyors and
consultants, we conducted
Phase I and NVC habitat surveys.
It would be difficult to overstate
the crucial role that our seven
volunteers played in the
successful conclusion of our
projects this year. Some aspects
of the survey volunteers’ work
can be particularly challenging
and we are immensely grateful
to our volunteers. We are
confident they learned a lot and
hope that they took a little bit of
London Wildlife Trust away with
them, along with our sincere
gratitude.
www.wildlondon.org.uk 23
 Working with partners
London 2012
Girish Rambaran, 2012 Olympics Officer
This year we made great
progress in realising our vision
of a net gain in biodiversity
through our association with
the 2012 Olympic Games. We
worked closely with the two main
delivery organisations of London
2012, the Olympic Delivery
Authority (ODA) and the London
Organising Committee for the
Olympic and Paralympic Games
(LOCOG). Our main objective is
to enhance and increase habitats
for wildlife and people.
Thanks to our Thanks to our developing
developing
relationship with the ODA, we
created greater opportunities
relationship with for wildlife in the Olympic Park.
London Wildlife Trust is one of
the ODA, we 12 organisations that the ODA
created greater
is legally required to consult on
the Olympic Park Biodiversity
opportunities for Action Plan. We were also
asked to contribute to other key
wildlife in the design documents, such as the
Waterspace Master Plan, the
Olympic Park. Urban Design and Landscape
Framework and the Parklands
and Public Realm design.
Our association with the ODA led
directly to a year-long project to
enhance the Greenway, a cycle
and pedestrian route stretching
from Hackney Wick to Beckton in
east London. The project, funded
by London Councils, included
community engagement and
habitat improvements. It aimed
to mobilise local people to
increase opportunities for
24 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future
Working with partners
wildlife through the installation
of bird and bat boxes, meadow
and hedgerow planting and the
creation of stag beetle loggeries.
The Greenway will form one of
the main pedestrian routes into
the Olympic Park. As a result of
our work on the route, we are now
part of the Greenway Steering
Group, which will devise a vision
for the Greenway and a system
of governance. Our inclusion
should help to ensure it becomes
an important ecological corridor
in the heart of east London.
We worked with the London 2012
Biodiversity Group of leading
environmental organisations
on the Biodiversity Programme.
Planned to be launched in
autumn 2008, the programme’s
projects will be developed over
the next four years.
We have also been developing
a ‘UK Wildlife Project’, based
on the Living Landscape vision.
It involves 12 flagship schemes
across the UK, targeting the
Working on the Greenway © Steve Philips
same species and habitats that
are found in the Olympic Park.
We will be working with Wildlife
Trusts in Scotland, Staffordshire,
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire
and Oxfordshire, Tees Valley,
Yorkshire and Birmingham and
the Black Country, showing that
our work with London 2012 has
the potential to generate many
UK-wide benefits.
www.wildlondon.org.uk 25
 Generating income
Members’ support continues to
be invaluable. As well as bringing
in vital unrestricted funds for our
work, members supported two
Generating income
special appeals this year: our
wildlife gardening campaign and
river restoration work.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)
We achieved a record income of more than £2m in 2007-2008,
awarded us two project planning
grants during 2007-2008. The
thanks to public donations, the support of many organisations first funded a planning project
to revitalise the River Crane.
and the generosity of our members. The second was for the Going
Local research project. A further
Sarah Wilshaw, Head of Fundraising and Marketing grant from HLF went towards
the development of our heritage
awareness and education work at
Crane Park Island. The Big Lottery
Fund continued to support our
volunteering and outreach work
in Barking and Dagenham.
Charitable Trusts are a vital
source of funds. Support from
The Peter De Haan Charitable
Publicity
Catherine Harris, Campaigns and
Communications Manager
Honey bee on echinacea © Metalanguage Design It was an excellent year for
press coverage, with the Trust’s
profile continuing to grow across
the national and local media.
Highlights of the year included
the BBC coverage of our ‘Save
London’s Gardens’ campaign and
extensive features in The Financial
Times and The Independent.
26 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future
Generating income
Charitable Trusts
are a vital source of
funds
Trust allowed us to increase our
conservation work and expertise
this year. We were also able to
develop our youth engagement
work, thanks to two new grants
from the Mark Leonard Trust
and the JJ Charitable Trust.
Grants from landfill contributors
supported our Water Vole
Project, our Design for
Biodiversity work and our work
on Riddlesdown Reserve.
We received valuable funds
and support from companies
across London in 2007-2008,
through corporate membership,
sponsorship, employee
volunteering and professional
expertise.
Throughout the year important
issues about London’s wildlife
and Trust spokespeople were
featured on BBC London TV
news, suggesting a far greater
interest in wildlife stories than in
previous years. Our local groups
Leaf detail © Anna Guzzo
continued to generate invaluable
local coverage to support our
campaigning and conservation
work.
www.wildlondon.org.uk 27
 Accounts Acknowledgements
Financial year 2007 - 2008 Thank you for supporting us
Members
The support of our members is
critical to the success of London
Wildlife Trust. Members support
us in a number of ways including
financially, through volunteering
and work in local groups.
Legacies
Winifred May Pellow
Joan Audrey Radish
Local groups
London Wildlife Trust local
groups have worked tirelessly
over the last year on practical
conservation tasks, campaigning
and representing the Trust at
environmental events.
Volunteers
London Wildlife Trust volunteers
Income Expenditure have helped the Trust deliver
education, community and
Charitable activities £1,365,119 Charitable activities £1,882,495
conservation projects across
Donations, legacies and membership £553,759 Fundraising and publicity £151,185 London, as well as contributing
Other £197,199 Administration and governance £30,021 to the Trust’s promotional work.
Total £2,116,077 Total £2,063,701 Organisations
Income for the year ended 31 March 2008 Expenditure for the year ended 31 March 2008 We are grateful to the following
organisations who supported the
Trust during 2007-2008:
Lottery distributors
A full set of accounts is available on request Big Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
Charitable trusts and non-
government organisations
Capital Volunteering
The City Bridge Trust
The Charles S French Charitable Carillion plc
Trust
Denton Wilde Sapte Charities Cross London Rail Links
Trust
The Dyers’ Company Charitable Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP
Trust
28 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future
The Goldsmiths’ Company EDF Energy plc
Charity Ethos Recycling Ltd
Groundwork Green Earth Garden Services
The Worshipful Company of Polar Capital Partners
International Bankers Q-Park Ltd
The JJ Charitable Trust RA Meredith & Son Ltd
The Mark Leonard Trust Reed Elsevier PLC
The Mercers Charitable Thames Water Utilities Ltd
Foundation The Bridgedown Group
Miss RCR Angel Charitable Trust The White House
The Peter De Haan Charitable Veolia Environmental Services
Trust (UK) plc
The Presidents Club Charitable Vine House Farm
Trust
Reuben Foundation Statutory sector and other
Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts public bodies
The Rufford Maurice Laing Association of London
Foundation Government / London Councils
The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Business In The Community
Trust Corporation of London
The Stephen Clark 1965 East London Business Alliance
Charitable Trust Environment Agency
The Treasure Charitable Trust Forestry Commission
The Woolf Charitable Trust Greater London Authority
v, the youth volunteering charity The Lee Valley Regional Park
Veolia Foundation Authority
The Wild Flower Society London Borough of Barking &
Dagenham
Landfill Communities Funds London Borough of Barnet
Aggregate Industries London Borough of Croydon
(Breathing Places Fund) London Borough of Ealing
Essex Environmental Trust London Borough of Hackney
SITA Trust London Borough of Hounslow
Veolia Environmental Trust London Borough of Camden
WREF London Borough of Hillingdon
London Borough of Redbridge
Corporate supporters London Borough of Richmond
Argent Group plc upon Thames
BAA London Borough of Southwark
Barclays Bank plc London Borough of Sutton
Bluebird Ecological Ltd London Borough of Waltham
Forest
Corporation of London London Borough of Westminster
London Development Agency
Deutsche Bank AG Natural England
www.wildlondon.org.uk 29
 The year ahead
Our priorities for 2008 - 2009

• Strengthen our conservation and

biodiversity work
• Widen our influence in London
• Develop our land portfolio
• Expand our London 2012 work
• Develop our education work
• Increase outreach and activism
• Launch a new campaign function
• Raise our profile further
• Increase the total value and range of our
income sources
• Develop individual giving
• Review governance of London Wildlife Trust
• Tighten our internal processes and procedures

London Wildlife Trust

Skyline House
200 Union Street
London SE1 0LX
Tel: 020 7261 0447
Email: enquiries@wildlondon.org.uk
www.wildlondon.org.uk
Robin © Charlie Bishop

Registered Charity no 283895

Edited by Helen Babbs and Ruth Hayhurst

Design by Metalanguage Design
Front cover photo: East Reservoir © Jamie Grier

Printed on 100% recycled paper

30 Protecting London’s wildlife for the future