About the Experimental School of Urban Ecologies

Spring - London

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 learning, collaborating, and sharing knowledge. The courses we offer grow directly from the land itself, shaped by the ecology, history, and community of the Reserve.

Our aim is to support meaningful relationships with the local environment while building the skills and understanding needed to care for the land and one another.. Through this work, we hope to support and empower both the people and the wildlife that make up our shared urban ecosystem.

The Experimental School offers a holistic and integrated approach to learning, combining practical ecological skills with environmental awareness, storytelling, and cultural knowledge.

In 2026 the school will launch three courses:

  • Experimental School of Urban Ecology: Foraging and Land Stewardship (fully booked)
  • Experimental School of Urban Ecology: Climate & Adaptation (bookings open 8th April)
  • Experimental School of Urban Ecology: Nature Connection & Wellbeing for Children (coming soon)

Together, these courses explore different ways of understanding, caring for, and connecting with urban nature — inviting participants to learn directly from the landscapes around them.

Phytology Medicine Garden, Bethnal Green Nature Reserve

The Venue

The Experimental School of Urban Ecology courses will takes place primarily at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve, an outdoor, off-grid cultural institute in East London. Both a living landscape and an educational space, the Reserve is dedicated to intersectional research across culture, ecology, and community learning.

 

Facilities & Accessibility Info

 

Supported by Bethnal Green Nature Reserve and

©2026 Bethnal Green Nature Reserve Trust

Looking Back billboard by Eduardo Padilha