Imperial College London
Acoustic Recording,
Joyden's Wood

We love climbing out of our comfort zone, and when a team of researchers from Imperial College London approached us to help install acoustic surveillance equipment in a local woodland, we jumped at the opportunity.

From the Rainforests of Borneo to the Woods of Kent

The project had its origins in one of the most biodiverse places on earth: the tropical forests of Borneo. Monitoring the wildlife living within these ecosystems is essential for scientists studying the impact of human pressures on biodiversity, and for the conservation of rare and threatened species.

After successful research in Borneo in 2019, COVID restrictions brought the project closer to home, to none other than tropical Kent. The research team from Imperial College identified Joyden's Wood, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the London Borough of Bexley, as the UK location for the next phase of the study.

What We Did

Our role was to provide the specialist canopy access skills needed to safely position the monitoring equipment at height. The installation involved placing four solar-powered acoustic recorders across four different locations within the woodland: capturing the sounds of wildlife 24 hours a day to build a detailed picture of the biodiversity within the wood.

Our climbers installed the solar panels high up in the forest canopy to ensure maximum exposure to daylight, while the acoustic recording units were securely strapped to trunks a few metres from the ground: positioned carefully to capture the widest possible range of species activity without disturbing the habitat.

The work required a light touch, no damage to bark, no disruption to nesting sites, and a clean exit from the woodland each day. Exactly the kind of considered, skilled climbing work our team does best.

“This is exactly the kind of project that reminds us why we got into this work. Using our skills to support genuine environmental science, in our own back yard, felt like a privilege.”

Jack, Founder, I Am Lumberjack