Join us for a discussion around Urban Ecology led by Benny Hawksbee, Head Gardener of Eden Nature Garden in Clapham and collaborator with John Little.
How often do you think about the ‘public realm’? Not just parks and recreation grounds but the spaces and places in between as we journey around the city. It is impossible to escape the public realm, yet we rarely think of it as a cohesive whole.
In 2024 we hope to begin work on a new public garden on the doorstep of the Museum at the centre of the wider project in partnership with Lambeth Council which will transform 5.3 acres of public realm adjacent to the museum into a series of new parks and interconnected public green spaces.
To connect with this major project, we are delighted to be hosting a series of events that focus on greening the public realm. Benny Hawksbee will be joined by a panel including Cassandra Li, Kiran Gok Lune Lee, and Mark Patterson to speak about the joys and the pitfalls/their experience of urban ecology and greening public urban spaces.
Whether starting from scratch, or rejuvenating an existing green space, the panel will discuss how to understand existing ecosystems, how to engage with local residents and stakeholders, and how to create biodiverse and wildlife-friendly environments, sustainably and set against the backdrop of a changing climate.
Bios
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Benny Hawksbee
Benny Hawksbee
Benny Hawksbee is a London and Essex-based gardener whose particular interests include pollinator relationships with plants; gardening without irrigation; and how we can make big wins in an urban context. Benny originally trained as a Marine biologist and worked with sea turtles for six years, in Greece and Latin America.
He is the Head Gardener of Eden Nature Garden in Clapham and also works for John Little and Fiona Crummay on their South Essex brownfield garden, Hilldrop.
Benny is also an active member of the London Natural History Society, where he spends most time recording wild solitary bees and wasps.
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Cassandra Li
Cassandra Li
Budding Conservation Ecologist committed to weaving biodiversity into the urban fabric, hand in hand with the community. Cassandra can be found tending to a charming small local reserve in Haringey, or surveying mosses and spiders around London.
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Mark Patterson
Mark Patterson
Mark is the owner and senior consultant at Api:Cultural, a business working with businesses and communities to benefit London’s pollinators through bespoke habitat interventions, green roof retrofitting and biological monitoring projects. Alongside this Mark delivers sustainable beekeeping services and exciting pollinator education initiatives.
He has been the recipient of a number of awards in recognition of his work and was recently shortlisted for the Pro Landscaper Biodiversity awards and Edie awards for Nature and Biodiversity project of the year.
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Kiran Gok Lune Lee
Kiran Gok Lune Lee
Kiran is a naturalist and conservationist whose current research uses genetics to investigate implications of near-extinction in a songbird population. Kiran uses his scientific background working at OmVed gardens to enhance positive nature connections in urban settings, through habitat curation, education and community events, and spends as much time as possible outdoors, often birdwatching.
