About this Event
Ever wondered what the world looks like through the beady eyes of a water vole? Join our upcoming training session at the Welsh Harp to help us assess habitat suitability and determine if we can bring these charming creatures back to the area!
Only a few miles from central London, with views of Wembley’s famous arch, we believe the Welsh Harp is one of the city’s most important sites for nature conservation. It’s London’s largest tree-lined open body of water and home to a rich mix of habitats and species, with recognised importance for breeding wetland birds and wintering wildfowl.
We know there’s a fantastic community of conservation groups working across the Welsh Harp. We’re working with Barnet Council to explore how Citizen Zoo can support and add value to that existing action, and whether rewilding principles such as species reintroductions, could help the Welsh Harp reach its full potential.
As Britain's fastest declining mammal, water voles are missing from many British waterways, including the Welsh Harp reservoir. Citizen Zoo is a leading organisation on community supported water vole reintroductions within urban environments, and having successfully released water voles e in theHogsmill catchment as part of our Get inVOLved project,. we want to explore the possibility of reintroducing water voles to Welsh Harp, starting with a series of habitat suitability surveys!
Training
In this training session, Citizen Zoo staff will be teaching you how to assess whether or not a water body is suitable for reintroducing this nationally endangered species - with specific focus on the Welsh Harp. By employing a simple and standardised survey methodology we will be able to map the banks of the welsh harp, giving us a clear picture of the site's viability for water vole reintroduction and any restoration work that may need to take place.
After this training session, we will spend time out in the field gathering the crucial data needed to take the project to its next stage! By this point we hope you will be able to view the ecosystem through the beedie eyes of a water vole, letting us know your optimal habitat!
Meeting point:
Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre (Birchen Grove, London NW9 8RY)
Itinerary:
10:00am - 11:30 - Introduction to water vole ecology and the survey protocol
11:30 - 13:00 - out in the field conducting the survey
What Do I Need to Bring?
Please bring your own food and water for the day, as well as appropriate clothing and footwear for being outdoors.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Welsh Harp Environmental Educational Centre, Birchen Grove, London, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00
