Community Ecologies - Restoring the Ground Beneath Our Feet

Event
Sat 9 May 2026 2.00pm – 3.30pm
Join Nozomi Nakabayashi for a hands-on workshop exploring the ground beneath Bethnal Green Nature Reserve and learning how to help it thrive.Urban soils are often compacted and sealed, leaving them...

Forest Fridays

Event
NEXT DATE:
Fri 8 May 2026 4.00pm – 5.30pm
Forest Friday is a free, weekly forest school inviting local children and families to explore the wonders of nature right on your doorstep. School-aged children (and their families) can learn...

Climate & Adaptation Course

Project
A hands-on course exploring nature-led, community-based responses to the climate crisis, blending deep ecology, culture, science and local knowledge. Course descriptionBy 2050, London’s climate is likely to be similar to...

About the Experimental School of Urban Ecologies

Project
Bethnal Green Nature Reserve is launching a new learning space, the Experimental School of Urban Ecologies.We call it experimental because the environmental challenges we face today demand new ways of...

Climate & Climate Adaptation - 2026 Billboard Commissions

Project
Bethnal Green Nature Reserve (BGNR) invites artists, designers, writers, poets, illustrators, and creatives working across disciplines to apply for one of four micro-grants for billboard commissions to be presented throughout...

About Community Ecologies

Project
The Community Ecologies 2026 programme will focus on climate change and climate adaptation. Climate change can often feel overwhelming and abstract, which can lead people to disengage from the conversation...

Misery in Residence - Autumn & Winter 2024

Project
Misery in Residence at Bethnal Green Nature Reserve Autumn & Winter 2024 Misery is a mental health collective focused on healing for queer, trans, and non-binary Black people and people...

Caretakers Project

Project
Stories, guides and offerings for London’s green & blue spaces. The Caretakers Project was set up to capture and archive valuable local knowledge on community-led land stewardship. The project aims...

'Feedback' by Polly Townsend

Event
Wed 1 November 2023 — Sat 30 December 2023
Polly Townsend’s billboard is inspired by her recent experience as Artist in Residence in the Antarctic in January 2023. The billboard work uses acrylic and watercolour paint, both long-standing mediums...

Forest Fridays 2025

Event
Forest Friday is a free, weekly forest school inviting local children and families to explore the wonders of nature right on your doorstep. School-aged children and their families can learn...

Forest Saturdays - September 2025

Event
Forest Friday is a free, weekly forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature on your doorstep. School aged children and their families can learn...

Forest Fridays - September 2025

Event
Forest Friday is a free, weekly forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature on your doorstep. School aged children and their families can learn...

Forest Saturdays - August 2025

Event
Forest Friday is a free, weekly forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature on your doorstep. School aged children and their families can learn...

Forest Fridays - August 2025

Event
Forest Friday is a free, weekly forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature on your doorstep. School aged children and their families can learn...

Forest Fridays, 25th April - 18th July 2025

Event
Forest Friday’s is a free, weekly forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature on your doorstep. School aged children and their families can learn...

Forest Fridays - After School Club 2025

Event
Fri 11 April 2025 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Forest Friday’s is a free forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature on your doorstep. School aged children and their families can learn about...

Forest Fridays - After School Club 2025

Event
Sat 15 March 2025 11.00am – 12.30pm
Forest Friday’s is a free forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature on your doorstep. School aged children and their families can learn about...

Forest Fridays - After School Club - Autumn 2024

Event
Forest Fridays is a free, weekly forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature right on your doorstep. School-aged children and their families can learn...

Forest Fridays - After School Club 2024

Event
Forest Friday’s is a free, weekly forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature on your doorstep. School aged children and their families can learn...

Forest Fridays - After School Club 2023

Event
Forest Friday’s is a free, weekly forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature on your doorstep. School aged children and their families can learn...

'We Extend Ourselves Towards Each Other's Aliveness'

Event
Wed 1 February 2023 — Wed 31 May 2023
Farzana Khan was artist in residence at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve during 2022, and part of, ‘We Speak In Tongues About The Thing(s) We Love’ programme curated by...

OPENING TIMES

Event
10.00pm Sat 7 May 2022 — 12.00am Sun 11 December 2022
The Bethnal Green Nature Reserve will be open each Saturday; 2pm - 4pm 7th May till 10th December Come and explore this small but mighty urban Nature Reserve, an oasis...

George Chakravarthi - AUM Billboard

Event
Thu 1 September 2022 — Wed 30 November 2022
George Chakravarthi is an artist in residence at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve during 2021-2022 and part of the, We Speak In Tongues About The Things We Love project...

The Gardening Drawing Club Vol.2 Autumn 2022

Event
Sat 26 November 2022 10.00pm – 11.30pm
Founded in 2021, The Gardening Drawing Club is a series of unique events with a holistic approach offering free access to arts and horticulture in Britain. With monthly happenings, The...

EARTHSHAPES #8 CHERISHING - SAMHAIN - NOVEMBER

Event
Fri 4 November 2022 1.30am – 3.00am
We have reached the eighth and final turn of the wheel! High autumn, Samhain, Hallowe’en - it’s the season of remembering, recomposing, re-generationing and holding our arms out wide to...

Ecology as Boundless Presence: Mindful Observation and Writing Workshops

Event
For this second experimental wetland survey, we will practice presence as a gateway to ecological knowledge. We will begin with a mindful observation workshop held by interdisciplinary ecologist Tyra Enchill...

Feathered: Art Workshop with Jane Mutiny

Event
10.00pm Sat 15 October 2022 — 1.00am Sun 16 October 2022
Join the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve Bird Survey team for an afternoon of learning and creativity with local artist, environmentalist and bird enthusiast Jane Mutiny. For centuries, feathers have long...

mulch

Event
Thu 15 September 2022 — Sun 2 October 2022
mulch is a new living installation by artist, writer and gardener Sean Roy Parker created in, with and for plants at Phytology. Working amongst the ruins of a former market...

EARTHSHAPES #7 Re-storytelling, Autumn Equinox

Event
Join Becky Lyon / ELASTIC FICTION for the seventh in a series of 8 art-practice-led gatherings following and drawing attention to seasonal rhythms, patterns of place and earth-centric chronology. ...

Re-Turning to Earth (Grief Circle for BPOC)

Event
Earth, an in-person grief circle to acknowledge ecological loss. 6PM BST, Wed 28th Sep, Phytology, Bethnal Green Nature Reserve, London, E2 9RRTickets - www.eventbrite.co.ukPlease note, this session will be for...

‘Red Echo’ by Eduardo Padilha

Event
Eduardo Padilha's latest billboard is called 'Red Echo’, a vivid large-scale paper artwork created through a process called 'eco-printing’. The dye from these eco-prints has been sourced from plant material...

Forest Friday’s - free, weekly forest school

Event
Forest Friday’s is a free, weekly forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature on your doorstep. School aged children and their families can learn...

Cyanotype Workshop by Hayley Harrison & Melanie King

Event
Cyanotype type printing is an alternative photography process using chemicals that create blue prints when exposed to sunlight. You’ll learn how to make one-off Cyanotype prints from flowers, leaves and...

The Gardening Drawing Club: VOL. 1 Summer

Event
Founded in 2021, The Gardening Drawing Club is a series of unique events with a holistic approach offering free access to arts and horticulture in Britain. With monthly happenings, The...

Hidden Rung presents 'Canopy Soundscapes'

Event
Musician and sound artist Hidden Rung presents a delicate evening of soundscapes, field recordings and assorted acoustics for drifting off at; Phytology, Bethnal Green 7pm - 10pm Saturday, 23rd July...

EARTHSHAPES #5 - Digesting Summer

Event
Join Becky Lyon / ELASTIC FICTION for the fifth in a series of 8 art-practice-led gatherings following seasonal rhythms. About this event Join Becky Lyon / ELASTIC FICTION for...

The Non-existent Gardener - Artist Talk with Adelaide Bannerman & Eduardo Padilha

Event
Eduardo Padilha & Adelaide Bannerman will be discussing 'The Non-existent Gardener', the current site wide installation by Eduardo Padilha. The Non-existent Gardener, – an alter ego inspired by the character...

‘Purple Echo’ by Eduardo Padilha

Event
Eduardo Padilha's latest billboard is called 'Purple Echo’, a vivid large-scale paper artwork created through a process called 'eco-printing’. The dye from these eco-prints has been sourced from plant material...

Kupala Mid Summer Festival 

Event
Kupala Mid Summer Festival is returning to Bethnal Green Nature Reserve for a fourth year! Kupala is a traditional pre-christian Slavic holiday, originally celebrated on the shortest night of the...

'Looking Back' billboard by Eduardo Padilha

Event
Eduardo Padilha is an artist in residence at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve throughout 2022, part of the ‘We Speak In Tongues About The Thing(s) We Love’ project curated...

Re-turning to Earth: Grief Circle for BPoC, Farzana Khan x Phytology

Event
‘What happens if the hollowness we feel is the prolonged absence of hearing birdsong?’ - Francis Weller On Wednesday 25th May at 6PM, Healing Justice Ldn’s monthly grief circle will...

Nourishing Ourselves

Event
A free workshop facilitated by Artists Alaa Alsaraji and Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, who will provide a set of prompts and guided activities to support you in using various art forms...

Floating Margins - Publication Launch

Event
We are honoured to be hosting the publication launch of ‘Floating Margins’, a collaboration between editors, Rose Nordin, Amrita Dhallu and Priya Jay. Publication Launch, 5pm - 8pm, 15th May...

Simmerdim: Curlew Sounds album launch

Event
Singer, song writer Merlyn Driver will be hosting a one-off album launch in collaboration with the RSPB 7pm - 10pm, 12th May 2022 Merlyn Driver's love for one of the...

Earthshapes #4 Resonating

Event
Join Becky Lyon / ELASTIC FICTION for the fourth in a series of 8 art-practice-led gatherings following and drawing attention to seasonal rhythms, patterns of place and earth-centric chronology. Time...

An Evening of Listening

Event
The evening will include ‘Projection’ a participatory interspecies performance led by Hayley Harrison, bat echolocation led by Michael Smythe - accompanied by fresh nettle pakora, herbal tea & a...

Healing Justice LDN - Fire Ceremony

Event
Join Healing Justice LDN for a Fire Ceremony 6pm - 8pm, 30th March 2022 Bethnal Green Nature Reserve This event kicks off our monthly healing and grief space, intended to...

EARTHSHAPES #3 - Spring Equnox

Event
Join Becky Lyon / ELASTIC FICTION to celebrate the long awaited arrival of spring! About this event Join Becky Lyon / ELASTIC FICTION for the third in a series...

EARTHSHAPES #2 AWAKENING - FIRST SHOOTS - FEBRUARY

Event
Join Becky Lyon / ELASTIC FICTION for an early morning gathering marking the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. About this event Join Becky Lyon...

Of Lost & Found

Project
This project is a collection of stuff found within the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve, East London, while Ellie Doney was artist in residence throughout 2017. Doney's interest in the project...

EARTHSHAPES #1 REPLENISHING - MID-WINTER

Event
Join Becky Lyon / ELASTIC FICTION for the first in a series of 8 art-practice-led gatherings following and drawing attention to seasonal rhythms, patterns of place and earth-centric chronology. ...

George Chakravarthi

Project
George Chakravarthi has always been his own muse. In life, and professionally as an artist since the mid 1990s, Chakravarthi has been creating provocations around historical, contemporary and emerging notions...

Laughter & Nature Comedy Night

Event
Join us for a night or stand-up comedy at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve. 7pm - 10pm, 9th October Laughter & Nature Comedy Night is an experiMENTAL open mic comedy...

Leaf Hearing Blue, Moss Tickling a Soil by Becky Lyon

Event
Join Becky Lyon + ELASTIC FICTION for three experimental workshops inviting you to re-sensitise, re-tune and imagine-with the ecology found within the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve. This forms part of...

Recipes for Resistance: Migration and un/belongin

Event
Healing Justice Ldn have teamed up with Recipes for Resistance to offer three workshops exploring Memory, Grief, and Un/belonging in relationship to the politics of food and identity. The third...

PRIMORDIAL SKY 

Event
Primordial Sky is an experimental performance of music and movement taking place across the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve woodlands. A symbiosis of music/dance/sculpture will correspond with above-ground and soil ecologies...

Whittling Workshop pt.2

Event
Learn basic wood whittling techniques to make yourself a spoon to take home and enjoy. You will learn a range of woodworking techniques using a bunch of tools such as...

F*Choir Singing Workshop

Event
Meet F*Choir and explore their music and methods at an ‘Open Singing Session’ within the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve. Led by Jenny Moore, we will explore breathing and sounding together...

Campfire Club - The Rheingans Sisters + Sarah Smout

Event
The Nest Collective's 'Campfire Club' is returning to the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve this summer! 7pm - 10:30pm, 18th June 2021 The Rheingans Sisters Winners of the 2016 BBC Radio...

Living Monoliths & Seed Bomb Talk

Event
Maria Roy Deulofeu & Sean Ross are two sustainable designers from the United Matters design collective currently working within the Nature Reserve. Over the past two months they have been...

Whittling Workshop

Event
Learn basic wood whittling techniques to make useful things such as spatulas and spoons. We will learn different techniques for tools such axes, knives and hook knives. All equipment will...

Daze Aghaji + Adelaide Bannerman Billboard pt.2

Event
This billboard is the second of three hand-painted texts, part of a series of questions, observations and statements reflecting on this space, the environment and representation. ‘wecomewithourquestions’ is part of...

The Squirrel’s Heartbeat by Fiona Banner

Project
The Squirrel’s Heartbeat ‘The Squirrel’s Heartbeat’ is a series of conversations ruminating on the environment, art and activism, part of Fiona Banners' (aka The Vanity Press) 2020/21 research residency at...

Daze Aghaji + Adelaide Bannerman Billboard pt.1

Event
This billboard is the first of three hand-painted texts, part of a series of questions, observations and statements reflecting on this space, the environment and representation. ‘wecomewithourquestions’ was first initiated...

Fiona Banner aka The Vanity Press - Billboard

Event
Fiona Banner has hand painted the Phytology billboard in stages over the summer, week by week adding in new letters and words to form the phrase ‘The Retrospective Has Been...

'Of Lost & Found' by Ellie Doney

Event
We are pleased to announce the launch of the 'Of Lost & Found’, an online archive exploring the material history of the Phytology site by Ellie Doney. Ellies work explores...

Queer Ecologies: Microbe Disco

Event
As part of Electric Dreams Online, The Queer Ecologies collective invites you to join us for a multi-species, multi-generational and intersectional virtual disco! Come meet your companion species, move with...

Forest Fridays

Project
Forest Fridays is a free, weekly forest school for local children and families to explore the wonders of nature right on your doorstep. School-aged children and their families can learn...

Lu Williams

Project
Artists and activist, Lu Williams, has been commissioned to produce a billboard and street poster campaign in the summer of 2018. A version of her ‘Teenage Girls Are Our Future’...

Alternative School of Economics

Project
The Alternative School of Economics is a collaboration between artists Ruth Beale and Amy Feneck. It is both an artwork and a way of working; it links artist practice with...

Lucy Cash

Project
Lucy Cash is a writer and artist with a background in performance and choreography. She has written for radio and sound installations, performance and film. Cash was resident artist across...

Dwelling in Phytology – A Movement Based Exploration

Event
Dwelling is part of a research project exploring and designing tools to expand sensory and movement awareness. Luc and Mira will lead the session through exercises of perception and performance...

Ellie Doney

Project
Of Lost & Found This project is a collection of stuff found within the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve site, while Ellie Doney was artist in residence throughout 2017. Her interest...

DJ Simpson

Project
DJ Simpson is a contemporary artist who was inspired by the non-human architecture found across the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve, such as nests, hives and dreys. Across the Summer &...

Sam Wallman

Project
So Below is a graphic essay by cartoonist and journalist Sam Wallman. Exploring the idea of land ownership, Wallman melds the political with the poetic, connecting both historical and contemporary...

Phytology Medicinal Garden

Project
Phytology is an urban physic garden established in 2014. The 30+ species of plants that we grow here are known for their historical and ongoing use in phytotherapy*, as...

Talya Baldwin

Project
Talya Baldwin is a British illustrator based in West Yorkshire. Much of her work focuses on the unseen or disregarded, aiming to promote public engagement with contemporary ecological issues. Her...

Vhils

Project
An avid experimentalist, Vhils has been developing his notion of the aesthetics of vandalism in the form of stencil painting, wall carving and pyrotechnic explosion-drawings since 2001. His work often...

Institute of Use

Project
Institute of Use’s (IOU) response to the Phytology project focuses on the history of the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve. Throughout their 2014 residency IOU explored the site’s ecology, and the...

©2026 Bethnal Green Nature Reserve Trust

Dormancy, our new billboard by Yaya (海)