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Biodiversity Week 20 - 28 May 2023

Thank you to all of you who gave up your time to survey the wildlife at your local Tiny Forest. We hope you had fun and hope you’ll take part again next year!

Meet the wildlife at your local Tiny Forest!

Tiny Forest Biodiversity Week is a simple citizen science study to assess the wildlife at our network of more than 200 Tiny Forests. Communities across the UK will spend time in nature completing short surveys about what they see – we’d love for you to take part in monitoring these super tiny, super powerful forests!

Biodiversity Week 2023 Results

Find out more about our initial findings from Biodiversity Week 2023 in our Research Wrap-Up webinar

You can also access our 2022 Monitoring Report showcasing all our biodiversity findings

Download Monitoring Report

Why take part?

Biodiversity Week will have huge benefits – both for you, and for science!

The health and wellbeing benefits of spending time in nature are well-documented. Taking part in a Tiny Forest citizen science survey is a great opportunity to spend some meaningful time outside in your local area. It’s also a brilliant way to connect with your community and spend time with family and friends in the fresh air and green space.

By taking part in citizen science, you become a vital part of our environmental research. We use science to better understand the environmental challenges we face, and to find solutions to these issues. In particular, the data you provide will allow us to better understand how a Tiny Forest can support wildlife in urban areas.

Thank you for taking part!

If you don’t have a Tiny Forest near you, but think it would be good for your community, you can put in a request to your local authority or get in touch with us here for more information.

FAQs

How do I access the surveys?
To access the biodiversity surveys first go to our national map and select the forest you would like to survey. Click the icon to get to its profile page. Here you will find a link to the biodiversity surveys for your chosen Tiny Forest.
Can we take part as a group?
Definitely! The more, the merrier. You can complete each survey as a group, or you can each individually collect data, ideally conducting the surveys in different parts of the Tiny Forest to avoid data being duplicated.
Does it matter what time of day I do the surveys?
Wildlife is more active when the weather is warmer, and the area is calm and undisturbed. We recommend you carry out the surveys in the middle of the day and especially when it is not raining. Lunchtime is a great moment to come to the forest and take a break. But if you are not able to get to the forest at this time, do not worry, the data you collect will be just as valuable for our research.
Can I choose which survey I do?
Of course! Do the survey you like the most and that fits your time availability and interests. If you can do more than one survey that is even better, you may be surprised at what you can learn and see.
Can I do multiple surveys during Biodiversity Week?
Absolutely! Just make sure that you do not repeat the same survey in exactly the same spot or location of the chosen Tiny Forest. This allows us to record as many areas of the Tiny Forest and prevents data replication, ensuring the most robust scientific research.
What about the weather? Will this affect the results?
The weather will affect the results, and we want to know about that too! We are also interested to know when and which type of wildlife is more active versus less active. The variety of conditions during data collection will allow us to understand this.
How do I submit the results and by when?
Please submit your results through the online survey forms available on your chosen Tiny Forest’s profile page by Sunday 28 May.
Can I do a paper survey and send my result by post instead of online?

We would like to encourage everyone to submit their data using the online survey to save paper, postage and time. Nevertheless, if you find this a challenge, please do send your printed sheet with data to the address below. Do not forget to add all the details in the printed version, especially what Tiny Forest you collected the data from!

Download the Survey Data Sheets here:

Butterfly Timed Count Survey Field Sheet
Butterfly Species List Survey Field Sheet
Ground Dwellers Survey Field Sheet
Pollinator Timed Count Survey Field Sheet

Tiny Forest Research Team
Earthwatch Europe
Mayfield House
256 Banbury Road
Oxford
OX2 7DE, UK

Why are Tiny Forests beneficial for biodiversity?
As our cities expand, habitats are lost and wildlife is increasingly under threat. Planting Tiny Forests in urban areas can create space for wildlife and provide valuable stepping stones connecting small habitats in urban areas. Research has shown that a Tiny Forest is capable of attracting over 500 animal and plant species within the first three years. We are tracking how biodiversity changes over time across our Tiny Forest network, providing vital evidence to show how nature-based solutions can enhance our towns and cities.
I’m a teacher, can my school get involved?
Yes, you and your students can take the classroom outdoors and get involved with Biodiversity Week. To support your teaching you can find free teaching resources, and if you have any questions please get in touch with our Education team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.