Friends of the River Crane Environment
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friendsrivcrane.bsky.social
Friends of the River Crane Environment
@friendsrivcrane.bsky.social
Friends Of the River Crane Environment is a registered charity whose aims are to protect and enhance the open spaces around the River Crane
A successful Volunteer day yesterday. A festive crown of brambles created by our volunteers to try and protect the new shoots of a coppiced hazel from the attention of local muntjac deer. Unfortunately 62 beer cans pulled from this small area of bramble today - please respect the space you are using
December 15, 2025 at 11:37 AM
This field vole burrow on Yeading Brook Meadows is marked out by an enormous number of discarded berries and pips at the entrance! @ldnwildlifetrust.bsky.social
#fieldvole
December 1, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Great to see that our good friends from ZSL and Citizen Zoo have made the national press with their german hairy snail stories from the tidal Thames opposite the mouth of the Crane and Duke’s rivers.
November 26, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Our next walk and talk will be on Wednesday 19th November from 10am and will start and finish at the tower in Crane Park - going upstream to look at all the improvements that have been made through Little Park and Pevensey Nature Reserve. This is a free event - please register using the link below.
November 12, 2025 at 6:22 AM
We still have a few places left for our Volunteer Day this Sunday. We will be creating new water vole habitat as well as enhancing the existing wetland scrapes and marginal wetland areas – fun and muddy work so old clothes and wellies recommended. Please register using the link in the comments.
November 5, 2025 at 8:44 AM
In June we led a three part walk along the Crane Valley Trail - almost 30 miles from the source to the Thames. The report on the @cvp-cranevalley.bsky.social website records the findings of these walks.
October 27, 2025 at 9:53 AM
The main phase of the Mereway river restoration project is almost complete – concrete removed; bank re-shaped; gravel, rock-roll and coir added. The site will be fenced off over the winter before volunteers plant in the spring. We’re very excited to see how this site develops!
October 22, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Volunteer Sunday season is back with a great session last Sunday.
 
This season a member of @tcvnational.bsky.social is helping with organising & running the day in the absence of a volunteer coordinator. We’re looking for someone to help longer term, so please get in touch via info@force.org.uk
October 16, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Great to see this underwater clip - large shoals of minnows, young dace and roach from the Tidal Crane next to Northcote Nature Reserve. Investigations led by NNR’s Astronaut Kawada with Friends of NNR, FORCE and ZSL revealing the importance of the Tidal Crane as a fish habitat.
October 7, 2025 at 2:28 PM
The Comtois horses yesterday mowing the Crane Park meadows. They’re taking the day off today but will return tomorrow to do the baling. You’re welcome to watch them - bring a pair of gloves and you can help shift the bales! #flowers #insects #nature
October 2, 2025 at 9:06 AM
The horses will be back to cut the meadows on Wednesday and Thursday this week. This twice yearly activity is helping to transform the five Crane Park meadows in to flower and insect rich habitats #flowers #insects
September 29, 2025 at 10:40 AM
We’re working with The Borough of Richmond and @tcvnational.bsky.social to create a small nature reserve opposite the river restoration site by Craneford Field in Twickenham. TCV will be there on 17th & 18th September to scythe the meadow along with other improvement works – all welcome to join them
September 11, 2025 at 8:44 AM
A great opportunity to explore corporate volunteering at Business Involvement in the Crane Valley. Hear about local green initiatives and network with other local organisations in an informal setting. Thanks @cvp-cranevalley.bsky.social for sharing.

RSVP via eventbrite.com/e/159…#twickenhamam
September 2, 2025 at 7:47 AM
A very interesting free event at Hanworth Park
September 2, 2025 at 7:30 AM
A new pond taking shape at Meadway Orchard @richmondcouncil.bsky.social
August 28, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Last Saturday 250 people enjoyed River Crane Day!

Organised by @habsandheritage.bsky.social, Let's Go Outside, @hounslowcouncil.bsky.social @cvp-cranevalley.bsky.social It was a day of fun, smiles & community spirit. A highlight was the volunteers teaching the Mayor all about river dipping.
August 21, 2025 at 2:02 PM
FORCE is a membership organisation and we benefit greatly from our members' support. Membership is only £5 for individuals and £8 for families but support from our 700 members cover all core costs. We are volunteer run – so, if you like what we do and are not already a member, please do join!
August 19, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Another remarkable river clean up haul by Mark from Thai upon Thames - including hundreds of cans and bottles, a safe and supermarket trolley - very old school. All from the middle Crane around Cranford Lane
August 18, 2025 at 10:59 AM
We have added these bright metal badges to our benches. These contain a QR code for family friendly walks that visit 13 of our benches along the lower Crane. Several hundred maps have been downloaded already and hope many more people discover them over the holidays @cvp-cranevalley.bsky.social
July 24, 2025 at 9:02 AM
The acid grasslands on De Brome Fields were hit by fire last week - hopefully the ant hills have survived and the grassland can recover 🤞🏼
July 21, 2025 at 10:49 AM
@zslscience.bsky.social re-introduced water voles to the Crane Park Island area last summer and have shared this video with us. It looks like these totemic creatures are becoming established here once again. This one seems to feel at home!
@cvp-cranevalley.bsky.social
@thames21.bsky.social
July 18, 2025 at 12:17 PM
FORCE volunteers also surveyed usage here at Donkey Wood and along the path between Twickenham station and Moormead yesterday. We look forward to the reports in the coming weeks
July 14, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Over 100 people were counted using the Meadway crossing in to Crane Park by 8 o'clock yesterday morning - installed at least in part following previous surveys that proved the need
July 14, 2025 at 7:40 AM
6 O'clock on a beautiful morning as we start our summer survey of people using local open spaces along the length of the Crane Valley. We will be out for most of the day. Come and say hello

@hounslowcouncil.bsky.social, @richmondcouncil.bsky.social
@thamesriverstrust.bsky.social
July 13, 2025 at 7:44 AM
It was instructive to contrast the cool and calm riverside and woodland parts of our walk along the Crane Valley Trail on Saturday with the sweaty and polluted roadside wait for a bus home afterwards 🌳 🌲 🌳
June 23, 2025 at 11:27 AM