Water and Wildlife Discovery Day

A packed day of activities for all ages at Oxford Botanic Garden. Discover the diversity of wildlife in freshwater habitats through hands-on workshops and activities.

  • Explore the wildlife of the Botanic Garden with local experts
  • Connect with the River Cherwell and take part in local water quality testing
  • Learn plant and animal identification skills
  • Support national wildlife monitoring programmes using the iNaturalist app​​​​​​

Tickets

We recommend booking in advance to guarantee entry to the Botanic Garden on 14th July (10:00–17:00). Admission to the Water and Wildlife Day is included with entry.

Adult: £7.20

Under: 16s FREE

Oxford and Brookes University Students: (ID required) FREE

Disabled/Accompany Carer: FREE

Concessions

  • Other students £5.90
  • Alumni £5.90
  • Over 65 £5.90

Activities: Booking Required

Please note that certain booked events will take place outside the Botanic Garden opening hours.

Bird ID for Beginners

Ages 13+. Do you enjoy seeing and hearing birds, but need some help identifying them? Ornithologists will help you search for birds that call this part of Oxford their home. Use apps to help you identify birdsong and become a citizen scientist as you upload photos and sound clips to support national species recording initiatives. No previous birding experience required.

8:00-8:45 Book in advance

11:00-11:45 Book on the day

14:00-14:45 Book on the day

16:00-16:45 Book on the day

19:00-19:45 Book in advance

Mini Meadow Plant Identification

Find out about Oxfordshire's rare meadows and their plants and help to identify those in the Botanic Garden's mini meadow.

Thames Valley Wildflower Meadow Restoration Project

11:00-11:40 Book on the day

15:00-15:40 Book on the day

Drop-in Activities

Water Quality Testing

Our rivers and freshwater habitats are at a crisis point and need urgent action. Experts from FreshWater Watch will demonstrate how you can easily measure nutrient pollution in freshwater using their special kit and scientific methodology. With this robust data, you can help fight for real change.

FreshWater Watch

Smartphone photography for species ID

Join artist and photographer Graham Fudger to learn how to use your smartphone and apps to photograph and identify plants and insects. Experiment with composition, zoom and focus to create a visual document, then upload your images to the iNaturalist species recording app and become a citizen scientist.

Graham Fudger

Freshwater Safari

What beasts lurk below the surface of our ponds and rivers? Discover the underwater inhabitants of the Botanic Garden, and find out what they can tell us about the quality of the water.

Evenlode Catchment Partnership

Aquatic Carnivorous Plants

Dive into the extraordinary world of bladderworts. Discover how these remarkable carnivorous aquatic plants capture their prey with lightning-fast traps. Watch mesmerizing video footage, explore detailed images, and get a close-up look at live bladderworts under the microscope. Perfect for curious minds of all ages—no prior knowledge needed.

Oxford Botanic Garden

GroWet – saving our wetland plants

Find out about GroWet, a citizen science initiative addressing the ongoing declines in wetland plants. Help to sow seeds and pot-on rare and endangered wetland plants, which will be re-introduced back into the environment where they can thrive, bolstering and expanding populations.

Freshwater Habitats Trust

Floodplain Wildflower Meadows

Discover the role Oxfordshire’s rare floodplain meadows play in mitigating the current biodiversity and climate crisis and how they are being created and protected. Find out how to make your own back garden meadow and play games to hone your plant identification skills.

Thames Valley Wildflower Meadow Restoration Project

Oxfordshire Bats

Oxfordshire is home to 14 species of bat, some of which feed near water. Learn about the lives of these mysterious night flyers then take a quiz to test your knowledge. Includes batty activities and crafts for children to make and take home.

North Bucks Bat Group

 

How to record wildlife on iNaturalist

 

 

A view of the river behind Oxford Botanic Garden