Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is hosting a Science Day

On 19 May 2023, Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is hosting a Science Day at its Tiny Forest at West Berkshire Community Hospital.

Berkshire Healthcare staff, alongside a team from the charity Earthwatch, will be taking part in biodiversity research and they are encouraging members of the local community to join in and help contribute to this important research.

During the Science Day, data will be collected on the following four research topics:

Carbon capture - monitoring tree species, height, diameter, and mortality,

Biodiversity - monitoring butterflies, pollinators, and ground dwellers,

Flood management - monitoring infiltration rate, soil moisture, soil compaction, soil texture and soil colour,

Thermal comfort - monitoring air temperature, humidity, wind speed and personal experience,

The Tiny Forest was planted in 2021. A Tiny Forest is an urban forest up to 30 times denser than conventional tree planting, so maximises the benefits per square metre of land, while having low management requirements - once established. The key environmental benefits of a Tiny Forest include the absorption of between 450-600kg of carbon per year, flood risk mitigation, and noise reduction.