Saturday 25 April, 11:30–12:30 and 14:30–15:30
Free, booking required
Nature Activity Centre
Nature Counts: From Observation to Action
Explore our Nature Discovery Garden with our scientist Ed Baker and discover research in action. Spot hidden wildlife and turn your observations into evidence that helps monitor and protect urban nature worldwide.
On this garden walk led by our researcher Ed Baker, you’ll learn how urban nature is studied in real time. Discover the methods that have collectively transformed our gardens into a living data lab, providing evidence that guides nature recovery across the city. You’ll learn about traditional approaches, such as bird transects and moth trapping, as well as cutting-edge tools, including DNA barcoding and acoustic monitoring.
Use your smartphone to get hands-on and record what you see on the City Nature Challenge, a global community science initiative documenting urban biodiversity. Every bird, insect and plant you log becomes part of real evidence helping to monitor and protect wildlife worldwide. From observation to action, discover how your curiosity can help make nature count.
Living in a city, it’s easy to overlook the wild world around us. Yet right here in the heart of London, our gardens are home to around 26% of the city’s total species diversity. What began in 1995 as a one-acre experiment is now five acres of woodland, grassland and wetland, and is one of the UK’s most studied urban biodiversity sites. More than 57,000 observations have been recorded here, with new discoveries still being made each year, and you have a chance to be part of it.
See event dates and times
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Speaker biography
Ed Baker
Ed is an Acoustic Biology Researcher in our UK Centre for Nature. He uses sound and sensor technology to study biodiversity in cities and natural environments, including in our gardens. Ed’s work reveals hidden patterns in wildlife and demonstrates how digital tools can deepen our understanding of the natural world.
Visiting information
All ages are welcome, but content is recommended for ages 16+.
The meeting point is outside the entrance to our Nature Activity Centre in our Nature Discovery Garden.
Arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the start of the event.
When you arrive at the Museum, show your ticket to our staff to jump the queue.
The event is held outside in our Nature Discovery Garden and involves some gentle walking, so dress appropriately and wear shoes you don’t mind getting a little muddy.
A little rain won’t stop us! The event won’t be cancelled if it’s raining, so bring waterproof clothing just in case. However, if the weather is severe, we may need to cancel for safety reasons. If this is the case, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
You’ll have the chance to record what you see and contribute to the urban nature database using iNaturalist. Ahead of the event, we encourage you to visit the iNaturalist UK website, download the iNaturalist app on your phone and register for free. Alternatively, you can bring a camera to take photos and upload them to the iNaturalist website later. You can read this guide to using iNaturalist (PDF 386 KB).
Accessibility information
This event is wheelchair accessible.
If you’re unable to wait in queues for long periods, speak to our security staff and they’ll fast track your entry.
Guide dogs are welcome at the Museum. Water for them is available on request.
The nearest accessible toilets are on the Ground Floor of our Orange Zone. We also have a Changing Places toilet on the Ground Floor of our Blue Zone.
Blue Badge parking spaces are available. Request a parking space by emailing us at [email protected].
We can provide you with a wheelchair or folding chair to carry if you email us at [email protected].
If you have any questions or would like to discuss accessibility requirements, email us at [email protected].
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