Digging into the data: biodiversity for a better future
The Garden has been dedicated to the conservation and study of an extensive collection of botanical plants since 1673. The plant diversity offers a rich ecosystem and haven for wildlife, but we still know very little about exactly what animal species live here. Remarkably, the site itself has seen little physical change since it was established as a walled garden 350 years ago, which makes it the perfect site for ecological study. Our practice of leaving fruits and seeds to mature and overwinter provides food and shelter for birds and invertebrates and supports a diverse ecosystem.
We’re in a buzz about bugs
‘The walls that surround the Garden create a special microclimate’ says Emily Hazell, Head of Plant Collections at Chelsea Physic Garden, ‘protecting our valuable plant collection and creating a microhabitat teeming with lichen and moss.’ Emily explains that ‘garden debris, such as log piles, create the perfect habitat for insects such as woodlice and beetles. Our gardening team works to enhance habitats using ecological gardening. Our ponds are full of frogs and at least two other species of amphibians live there. The numerous trees and hedges that we care for are full of nesting birds, many return each year. And in the summer months, at dusk as visitors leave, the bats arrive to take advantage of the many pollinating insects drawn to our flowering plants and lawns.’
Time for a species spotlight
To research and record this wildlife, we commissioned an ecologist to begin the process of gathering data on our wildlife in September 2024. The initial work was funded by the John Armitage Charitable Trust, the Golden Bottle Trust, and individual donors, to create the first comprehensive audit of insects, bugs, birds, pollinators, amphibians, fungi and lichen. The programme is also being supported by our volunteers, who, following training, are participating in data collection across the Garden. Funding has also supported workshops for children, families, and community groups, which will give them the skills to identify wildlife and offers them a unique ‘hands-on’ experience. For the Garden, not only do these activities give us valuable data but help to foster a deeper understanding of wildlife in the current and next generation. The programme runs to June 2025, by which time we will have conducted over 40 surveys to identify and examine a diverse array of species. So far, we have recorded over 200 species of animals and fungi. Initial research has established that the Garden is host to colonies of 50% of UK earthworm species, including one species only recorded in one other location. We have also identified two unusual species of fungi.
However, we need more help to complete this research, and to create the foundations to support the Garden’s biodiverse ecosystem. That’s why we are launching our ‘Green Horizons’ appeal later this month.
The appeal will help us complete our audit by funding ecological surveys, citizen science data collection initiatives, and a legacy programme of nature-based solutions, including free sessions for local state schools on pollinators and habitats. So, the biodiversity audit will not only record our abundant biodiversity and increase our visitors understanding of our fragile ecosystem, it will also raise awareness of the Garden’s role as a green sanctuary for both people and wildlife. The data will be shared with other gardens, in particular information on how native pollinators are interacting with non-native plants. In turn, this will help us understand how we can create future, ecologically resilient gardenscapes in our cities.
There is still more wildlife for us to discover together. We look forward to sharing more of our findings in the coming months.
