News

How we Manage our Green Spaces Better with the Help of Volunteers

19th August 2025

My name is Harriet, and I am the Biodiversity and Conservation Officer in the Green Spaces team at Barnet Council.

As part of my role, I get to work with a range of different volunteer groups on environmental projects throughout the borough. These groups range from friends of parks to community food growers, water and air quality monitoring organisations and individuals that collect ecological data. I work with hundreds of people that give up their time to improve the borough for the benefit of residents and wildlife.

We are very lucky to have the support of the Barnet Green Spaces Network (BGSN), who work tirelessly to improve our parks and open spaces. The BGSN formed in July 2019, when over 20 Friends of Parks groups in Barnet came together to raise issues, collaborate on projects and share best practice with each other and council officers. BGSN now has representatives from 52 organisations, working together to promote and support parks and green spaces in Barnet.

Volunteers allow us to manage our green spaces to a higher standard. They help us with tasks like litter picking, bulb planting, habitat management and enhancements that increase biodiversity. Some groups apply for funding, hold events, and help recruit more volunteers to the spaces. In fact, a number of our projects would not have been possible without the help of volunteers. We work with partner organisations, such as Thames21 and Earthwatch, who recruit, train and supervise volunteers to deliver habitat enhancement projects on council owned land. For example the Action for the Silk Stream, the Dollis Brook enhancement project and planting Tiny Forests.

Volunteering to help with environmental projects in Barnet can be an opportunity to meet new people, get some exercise and enjoy the outdoors, all whilst contributing to making the borough a better place for people and nature. If you are interested in volunteering in a park or green spaces, visit Volunteering Barnet or our website. You can also email us at parks@barnet.gov.uk.