Welcome to the 34th Issue of the GiGLer. As with every editorial, this one is bursting with news from the last 6 months, from the launch of the London Day of Nature to the latest in all things planning and policy.
Before we dive into the usual recap, you might have noticed a new co-author – Becky Garden. While it has been an incredible privilege to work alongside our amazing GiGLer community over the last few years, I’ll be passing on the torch of Commissioning Editor to Becky after the ink dries on this article. As one of GiGL’s Partnership Officers, Becky has been successfully steering GiGL’s many social media accounts alongside day-to-day partnership work and is more than capable of taking up the GiGLer mantle. So have no fear, you are in very safe hands! And read on to the end to hear from your new editor.
We kicked off Issue 34 by plunging into all things habitats in preparation for mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG). BNG is a planning approach which aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than beforehand. At the time it was due to launch in autumn 2023, but is now set to launch early this year, with secondary legislation published back in November. While planning policy might not pique everyone’s interest, it’s crucial to keep on top of to ensure that nature is considered and conserved for all. We had lots of great articles this issue exploring how GiGL are at the forefront of that in London.
In August, Habitats Officer Becca took us through the preparation of GiGL’s habitat dataset. This dataset captures the complexity of our city from tiny havens of vegetation all the way up to extensive grassland and woodland you can find in our parks and reserves. Habitat data are how net gain will be calculated, so ensuring they are up to date and in the right format is an integral piece of the puzzle. A significant part of this preparation is the conversion of our Habitat and Land Use (HLU) dataset into the UKHab classification system, which Becca does a brilliant job of explaining alongside what’s to come next.
In the same month we also heard from Senior Partnership Officer Eleni who introduced us to the BNG pilot projects we’ve been hard at work completing with some of our Service Level Agreement (SLA) partners. The aim of these projects is to create a baseline for each area that can be used as an indication of biodiversity value, and to support our SLA partners and clients in the best way possible with BNG requirements. As of this month, we are progressing towards completion of these pilots and are implementing what we’ve learnt in preparation for offering the service more widely, so please do keep an eye out for more to come.
Eleni has made many amazing contributions to the GiGLer this issue and in September she gave us not one, but two articles on important planning updates. It bears repeating that London is an ever-changing city – as it continues to grow, it is vital that nature is taken into consideration in the planning process.
Eleni first announced a significant update to our Data Search Reports, which are an authoritative source of information on London’s natural environment. Delivered on our behalf by eCountability, each report contains interpreted and summarised data relating to a specific site and its surrounding area. GiGL have been constantly working to improve this service over the last 2 years, informed by feedback from our clients, and this new article builds on the updates given in May 2022. As well as a design overhaul, one of the biggest updates in 2023 was the introduction of a new online request form, which makes it easier than ever to access both standard and non-standard reports. Eleni also looks into the future with many more updates in the pipeline.
In her second article, Eleni focused on our updated Data Search Report figures and resources which show how many GiGL data searches were commissioned, and therefore how well nature is being considered. This follows on from the article in May 2022, so we can start to see how these figures are changing and potentially an idea of why. While we’re still some way off the target of 18% of applications informed by a GiGL Data Search Report (set by the Greater London Authority), Eleni tells us how we are working to support better decision-making and ultimately achieve better outcomes for biodiversity in London.
In October we returned to our GiGL Staff interview series which gives us a look behind the curtain to learn more about our brilliant team. It was the turn of GiGL’s Community Manager, Lyndsey Cox, who I’m sure many of our readers will know through her work on all things community science and species data stewardship, as well as supporting the amazing network of species experts active in London. Lyns has played a huge part in the GiGL story since joining more than 20 years ago as a volunteer, and she gives us an insight into not only how her role has changed over the years, but also what opportunities lie ahead with the power of making a difference on a local level. We also get a brilliant answer to the standard ‘what is your favourite species’ question.
Over the years we’ve had some brilliant answers to the staff interview question ‘what is your favourite animal?’
In the same month we also returned to another popular series, Joy of Recording, which shifts the spotlight to London’s amazing community of recorders. We hear from Tom Fitton, an inspiration to garden recorders everywhere who also gives up his time to help document vital biodiversity in London’s waterways. I’m sure many of us have thought about keeping an ongoing record of all the species we see in our gardens, on our balconies or in our local parks – but Tom has done just that to create an invaluable collection using his knowledge, time, and some tech. Stay tuned for Joy of Recording articles in 2024 for more inspirational stories like Tom’s.
At the end of October, which seems like a long time ago now, we hosted the hugely successful London Day of Nature. A successor to London Recorder’s Day, this event brought together recorders and nature enthusiasts from across the capital. In December Community Officer Victoria gave a brilliant rundown of the day, which was held at the wild haven of Camley Street Natural Park. It was a packed day with 8 fantastic talks, interactive workshops, and lots of chances to meet like-minded people working for nature across the capital. We’re already looking ahead to this year’s event and Victoria is keen to hear from anyone who has ideas on how it can be made more accessible for all.
Also in December, Partnership Officer Becky (who you’ll be hearing from soon) introduced us to GiGL’s different social media accounts that make up our ever growing digital community. From Facebook and Instagram to X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn, these accounts help us to expand our reach, foster engagement, and enhance understanding of who we are and what we do. Not to mention they also allow us to share incredible images and stories across the well-established online community of nature enthusiasts. While there is overlap between different types of social media, each account can be used in different ways and for different goals, so this is worth the read if you don’t know your tweets from your posts and want to know how to get involved.
Having done my job of recapping the last 6 months of articles, that just leaves me to wish all our readers a wonderful 2024. The GiGLer is a brilliant way to showcase all the work of not only GiGL, but also our amazing community, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading as much as I have being the editor. There is never a quiet moment at GiGL – so I very much look forward to what I’m sure is going to be an equally packed editorial in the summer!
Hello GiGLer Community! I’m Becky, Partnership Officer at GiGL, and as Amy mentioned, the new Commissioning Editor of the GiGLer newsletter. I’m very excited to be stepping into this role, following in the footsteps of Amy who has set a high standard for delivering engaging and insightful content to all of you. I’m sure all readers would agree that Amy deserves a big thank you for the dedication and brilliant organisation she’s put into the newsletter. I look forward to carrying on this work, providing our passionate readers with stories, perspectives, and information that matters to us all.
This isn’t the only change that’s happened at GiGL recently. December 2023 was Andy’s last month as an official GiGL team member. As GiGL’s Data and Systems Manager since September 2019, Andy has been an extremely valued member of our team and has had a lasting impact on GiGL’s technological and ecological capabilities. Not forgetting that he also worked with us, and other Local Environmental Records Centres, for years prior to 2019 as a freelance Ecologist and IT Consultant on several projects to develop IT solutions to manage extensive data holdings. Luckily for us, Andy will be keeping in touch and assisting us on an ad hoc basis as he takes some well-deserved time to relax. We wish him the best in his future endeavours and look forward to continuing to work with him.
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ooking ahead, GiGL is gearing up to introduce two new team members. We have just recruited a Delivery Officer to join the team soon, who will assist our Partnership and Community teams to ensure the smooth running of our service provision. Additionally, the search is on for a new Data Manager, who will take on a similar position to Andy’s, a crucial role in leading the strategic development and improvement of GiGL’s data holdings, related services, and managing the brilliant Data and Systems Team.
Stay tuned for the exciting developments that will unfold in the pages of the GiGLer as I take on Issue 35, from continuing our Joy of Recording series, to keeping you updated on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for London and our important Ancient Woodland Inventory project that is set to come to an end after it’s extension to March 2024. Finally of course, keep an eye out for staff interviews from the new GiGLer team members in the months to come!
