SEE BELOW FOR INFORMATION ON THE GROW WITH JOE COMMUNITY GARDEN
About us:
The Birmingham University Conservation Volunteers (BUCV) is a student volunteering group dedicated to conserving environments for the joint benefit of wildlife and people. For over 50 years the group has helped local and national conservation organisations: these have included local parks and woodlands, nature reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Whatever existing skills and knowledge students possess, or indeed what courses students are studying, we encourage everyone to get involved with the experience of volunteering for the preservation of our local and national green spaces.
Conservation events take place on most Sundays during term time; these are usually off campus in or around the Birmingham area. Sites we most often visit include: Cotteridge Park, Sutton Coldfield Park and Selly Oak Park.
Each term we organise a residential trip, usually around the end of Spring term to coincide with the Easter Holidays. Past trips have included: tree planting in Wales, hiking in the Peak District, and camping at Dodford Children’s Farm.
Although these volunteering sessions may feel like ‘small wins’ in the grand scheme of things, the knowledge of your supporting these green spaces for the joint benefit of wildlife and people is a rewarding experience; it is why we do it.
All of our event details are posted on our Instagram page. Please sign up to become a member for free on the guild website and to join our mailing list to get updates emailed directly to you.
Felling invasive silver birch in Sutton Park
Helping to plant a 25 mile long orchard around the Birmingham canal network!
History (Est. 1973!)
Conservation Society at UoB was first registered at the Guild in 1973! In 1992 our name was changed to Conservation Volunteers, the name we still have today.
We also have a tradition of attending Dodford Childrens Farm for our first residential of the year. UoB students originally helped set up the farm in the 1950s, and we have returned every year since 2016 to help out for a weekend.
If any historical members find this page and have any stories/photographs of past groups then we'd love to hear about them! See our contact details below.
Path maintenance at Woodgate Valley Country Park
Turning over the compost heaps at QE Hospital Community Garden
Grow with Joe Community Garden
The Grow with Joe garden is a student-led growing project, giving students, staff and members of the public experience in growing their own food. Everything we grow is organic, without the use of pesticides or artificial fertilisers; our aim is to co-exist with the ecosystem around us.
The idea behind the garden began in 2017 as the winner of ‘The Birmingham Project’, before it was adopted by the Birmingham University Conservation Volunteers in 2018 for the design and planning stage. The garden came into production in 2019 and we have been enjoying bountiful harvests ever since!
We would love to get more members of the university community involved in the project, whether you are a first time grower or seasoned horticulturalist. The garden offers a chance for students and staff to collaborate in a social environment, and we’re always looking for fresh ideas and help with projects.
Contact:
If you have any questions then email us at: bucv@guild.bham.ac.uk