Trust for Urban Ecology
The Trust for Urban Ecology (TRUE) is a London-based ecological organisation and is part of The Conservation Volunteers (formerly BTCV). The Trust for Urban Ecology was founded in 1976 when ecologist Max Nicholson and a group of like-minded conservationists set up Britain's first urban ecology park.[1]
History
Max Nicholson, the trust's founder, was also instrumental in setting up the World Wildlife Fund and became the 2nd Director General of the Nature Conservancy Council.[2]
The trust's first site, the William Curtis Ecological Park, was created on the site of a derelict lorry park near London's Tower Bridge. The William Curtis Ecological Park was always intended to be temporary and in 1985 the land was returned to its owners.[3] By this time the trust had already created two new nature parks and it would later acquire another two.
Current sites
- Stave Hill Ecological Park[4]
- Lavender Pond
- Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park[5]
- Dulwich Upper Wood
Aims
- To provide a new habitat for urban wildlife
- To enable ecologists to discover more about the nature of urban ecology
- To offer city residents the chance to enjoy nature and learn through hands-on experience
- To demonstrate the value of creative conservation - an ecological approach to the creation of new landscapes
- To provide examples of best practice and key demonstration sites
Other activities
- The trust offer environmental design, creation and management services
- Volunteer and work placement schemes
- Environment skills training
- Corporate team-building projects
See also
References
- Trust for Urban Ecology website
- Perrins, CM (2005). "In memoriam: Edward Max Nicholson, 1904-2003". The Auk. 122 (1): 357. doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2005)122[0357:imemn]2.0.co;2. S2CID 86369839.
- Trust for Urban Ecology website
- Southwark Council Website Archived 2011-06-08 at the Wayback Machine
- The Westcombe Society Website website