***This event has unfortunately been cancelled due to the high winds forecast for the weekend.***
Zoologists, bat and bird experts, and a Wildlife Crime Unit representative are just some of the speakers lined up for the first ever London Wildlife Festival.
The two-day event comes to Walthamstow Wetlands — Europe's largest urban wetlands — with a whole host of speakers and performances offering their thoughts and expertise on a wildlife theme.
Tim Mitchell, co-contributor of this excellent book, talks all things parakeets, while bat conservationist Jo Ferguson discusses how artificial light affects the flying mammals. DC Sarah Bailey from the Met's Wildlife Crime Unit offers an insight into a problem not often associated with London, and TV present Patrick Aryee shares tips on filming and photographing wildlife. See the full programme of speakers.
If you prefer your wildlife more interactive, plenty of workshops and activities are on offer, including family-friendly events and guided walks. Go in hunt of London's abundant dragonfly population, take a walk under the guidance of The Urban Birder, and wander as you learn about the history of the wetlands in the area.
Kids can learn bushcraft skills, and take part in bee-themed crafts and conservation activities, and more technically-minded adults can have a go at phone-scoping, using your phone to capture and record wildlife.
The festival is the work of London Wildlife Trust and David Lindo, The Urban Birder, and celebrates the conservation and culture of the natural wild around us.
London Wildlife Festival takes place 9-11 August 2019 at Walthamstow Wetlands. Tickets need to be booked in advance.
