Croydon ACE team
Action for Croydon’s Environment team operates from the BTCV office Pond Cottage at Coombe Wood, Conduit Lane, Croydon.
We organise regular task days on Wednesdays and Thursdays meeting at the Crown Court opposite the Croydon Park Hotel in Altyre Road, close to East Croydon railway station at 9.30am. We usually return at about 4.30pm.
To join us for a day book yourself a place by email or telephone, or turn up ready for work on the day, and let our minibus take you out to your chosen project.
The Sustainable Woodlands Group manage a tree nursery and work in local woodlands. They meet at 9.30am on Mondays at the Crown Court in Altyre Road for winter tasks and at Parkhill Allotments, Deepdene Avenue for the spring/ summer nursery work.
Check our current programme here.
Community Scouting
Twelve 10 to 14-year-olds joined regulars from the Action for Croydon’s Environment team at Wood Place Farm Field, Farthing Down, replacing an old hedgerow which had recently been cleared by the volunteers.
The group, from the 1st Poverest troop in Orpington, were given a task and safety talk before splitting into small groups to work with experienced volunteers clearing remaining debris and stumps from the old hedgerow and digging pits for new hazel, field maple, blackthorn and hawthorn.
City of London Ranger Shaun Waddell was on hand to give them planting tips and oversee the work – part of the ongoing management of this archeological site.
Under the watchful eyes of Scout Leader Rhys Davies and assistant Kelly McLean, the scouts tackled the task as the volunteering challenge for their Community Badge. Kelly explained the youngsters often went on hikes and camps in downland countryside, and hoped by joining BTCV on this task day they would learn and understand more about the efforts required to manage these valuable habitats and recreational sites.
Read more about what we've been up to here
Sustainable Woodlands Group
You don't have to be a 'tree-hugger' to protect and enhance local woodlands - the Sustainable Woodlands Group have the process down to a fine art without a tree-house or banner in sight.
This BTCV team have a two pronged approach, changing activities with the seasons to do their best for the environment around Croydon, in a pro-active but less attention-grabbing way.
During the autumn they organise seed gathering events, collecting from native species to plant at their tree nursery.
With winter they concentrate their efforts on coppicing work, often around Devilsden Wood. Then with spring they return to their allotment to tend the saplings, grown on for use in local projects during the year.
This enables them to keep a good supply of all kinds of trees from more common oaks and willow to rarer black poplars.
The group meet on Mondays. See panel above for information.
Location! Conservation! Education!
Location is everything! . . . Or is it?
Even in a concrete jungle you can do your bit for the environment, and BTCV at Pond Cottage can show you how.
As part of improvement work at Croydon's Coombe Wood, gaining the site coveted Green Flag status, volunteers transformed the back garden of the BTCV office into a haven for nature . . . and a wonderful natural classroom for people wanting to find out how they can do their bit!
Local school children have already been making use of the site - learning about benefits of composting and recycling rain water, finding out about beetle log piles and which plants attract butterflies and insects. They can even get to grips with the subject by making bird feeders and boxes or taking a seed-hunt tour of the woodland.
More information on BTCVs work with schools available here.
Contact us
BTCV Croydon
Pond Cottage
Conduit Lane
Croydon
CR0 5RQ
Tel: 0208 726 0974
Email: croydon@btcv.org.uk
