About the Holland Park Ecology Centre

We run a programme of events throughout the year which allows you to explore and learn about the wildlife and biodiversity in Kensington and Chelsea.  

From walks and talks to open days, training events and workshops there is plenty to enjoy. Whether you’re a local resident or visiting from further afield, we hope you enjoy this exciting programme and look forward to you visiting us. 

We also run a regular programme of nature themed activities for children and families during the school holidays, from night safaris, nature detectives to family forest school days, check out below for what's on. 

Join our mailing list for regular updates and reminders about our events and activities, email us at: [email protected].

We offer a range of volunteering opportunities including practical conservation, visit our volunteering pages to find out more 

What's on

See below for upcoming events running in 2022.

Wild Plants of Holland Park 
Thursday 14 July

Dr Mark Spencer will be on hand to help identify and classify the range of native and non-native species of wildflowers in the park in this evening walk. Part of the Bee Superhighway Project to create pollination hotspots in the Borough. 
 

• Meet: 6.30 to 8pm, Holland Park Ecology Centre 
• Cost: FREE 
• Book online  
• Sponsored by the Friends of Holland Park 

Holiday activities

Children's Summer Holiday Activities

We will be publishing our summer holiday schedule soon for sessions in August.
There will be Forest Days for 8-12 year olds and two-hour workshops for 5-10 year olds. Please check back here for updates and how to book. 

Nature Champions Holiday Activities

Free outdoor and nature-based holiday activities for 8-12 year olds running from 1 to 11 August. Priority given to children from K&C receiving Free School Meals.

Nature Champions is part of the HAF programme, funded by the Department for Education and in partnership with Change4Life. Please see the Nature Champions website for more information and to book.

Past events 

Watch recordings of Past Virtual Events

 

Holland Park Ecology Centre event recordings Spring/Summer 2021

Spring Botany Talk - Thursday 29 April 

Expert botanist Dr Mark Spencer will lead a seasonal botany talk designed to help you improve your identification skills and extend your knowledge of a range of wild plants. Part of the Bee Superhighway Project.

Flies: the underappreciated pollinators – Thursday 22 April

In this illuminating talk Dr Erica McAlister, senior curator of Flies and Fleas at the Natural History Museum, London, will describe the crucial role that members of the Diptera (flies) play in pollinating plants. Although maligned and mistrusted, flies are crucial to our ecosystems with over half of the described families containing pollinating species – and we are talking 1000’s of species. If you have a liking for chocolate, you’ll want to start looking after the flies.

Part of the RBKC Bee Superhighway Project to encourage the creation of pollinator hotspots in the Borough.

The Plight of the Bumblebee Virtual Talk- Thursday 15 April

Join Nikki Gammans, an expert from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust who will introduce the three types of bee, their importance, conservation and decline and most importantly how we can help them. Then onto identification of our most common bumblebee species and the ones you are most likely to see in your gardens. Finally, she will discuss The Short-haired Bumblebee Project which she has worked on for the last 12 years and is an attempt to reintroduce one of the UK's extinct bumblebee species. Part of the RBKC BEE Superhighway Project to encourage the creation of pollinator hotspots in the Borough.

Bees in Cities: an introduction to urban pollinators - Wednesday 7 April 

Join us for a talk highlighting the importance of pollinators in cities led by a leading pollination expert. During a career spanning more than 30 years, Professor Jeff Ollerton has established himself as one of the world’s leading experts on pollinators and pollination. In this talk Jeff will discuss the positive roles that urban environments can play for our native pollinators, and the potential threats of city living. Part of the BEE Superhighway Project. 

A short history of bees and flowers: the first 150 million years - Thursday 25 March 

Bees and flowers have evolved together over the course of 150 million years. They are extraordinary, they go together and we depend on them - we cannot survive without them. 
Presented by Richard Glassborow, Chair of the London Beekeepers Association, this talk will propose that pollination is arguably the most important example of how life on earth depends on ecosystems. Part of the BEE Superhighway Project.

Spring Herb Planter Workshop - Wednesday 24 March

This event is part of the Bee Superhighway project- a Borough wide initiative to provide more pollination hotspots for pollinators to thrive. We all like fresh herbs to add a little zest to our kitchen dishes or to make a tea from. Many herbs have small flowers that pollinating insects like too. Learn how to plant-up a small window box with five different plants and get some tips to keep them going throughout the spring and summer for you and our pollinators to enjoy!

Holland Park Ecology Centre Biodiversity Talk Programme Recordings Summer 2020

All events sponsored by Friends of Holland Park

Swifts! The birds you can help

Talk Recording- Thursday 2 July 2020

Join Edward Mayer of Swift Conservation for an engaging illustrated talk about these aerial acrobats. Learn more about their interesting lives and how we can help reverse their worrying decline in numbers across London.

Butterflies and Moths – Ten Questions and Some Answers

Talk Recording- Thursday 16 July

Join us for a fascinating talk on how butterflies and moths are faring in London. Learn more about common species, the threats to their survival and ways we can help conserve them. This virtual talk will be led by Andrew Wood, a butterfly and moth recorder for Hertfordshire Natural History Society.

Earthworm Ecology Talk

Talk Recording- Thursday 30 July 2020

Discover the importance of the humble earthworm to the ecology of the woods. An illustrated talk by Kieron Brown of the Earthworm Society.

Amphibian Talk

Talk Recording- Thursday 6 August 2020

Learn about our resident amphibian populations through a illustrated talk. Discover more about their fascinating life cycles, identification tips and conservation from an expert from Froglife.

Wild Plants of London

Talk Recording- Thursday 20 August 2020

Join Dr Mark Spencer for a talk about the botanical wonders that you can find in the park and London as a whole. Pick up some identification tips and learn how wild plants find places to thrive in central London.

Common Lizard Talk

Talk Recording -Thursday 3 September 2020

Common lizards are the only native species of reptile found in the Borough. An expert from the national reptile and amphibian conservation charity Froglife will discuss the natural history, conservation and threats to survival of common lizards in this fascinating talk.

Fox talk

Thursday 15 October

Trevor Williams of the London Fox Project will be leading an entertaining talk on the natural history of foxes and how his charity looks after sick and injured ones. Afterwards he will be on hand to answer your questions about these charismatic urban dwellers.

 

Make a booking  

Spaces are limited on our holiday activity sessions. You must book and pay in advance to secure your booking. Please note we only accept payment by debit or credit card (excluding American Express). Please call 020 7938 8186 or email: [email protected] to arrange booking and payment.