Protecting Chiswick Eyot: Call Made for Volunteers
Help safeguard a unique Thames Island this spring
Chiswick eyot. Picture (OCPS)
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January 25, 2026
As the New Year inspires many of us to spend more time outdoors and reconnect with nature, there is a meaningful way for Chiswick residents to do exactly that—while directly contributing to the health of one of the Thames’s most fragile natural habitats.
Thames21, the river-restoration charity, working in partnership with the Old Chiswick Protection Society (OCPS), has announced its first volunteer conservation sessions of the year. These hands-on days offer a chance to improve personal wellbeing, meet neighbours, and play a vital role in protecting Chiswick Eyot.
Chiswick Eyot is a long, narrow river island—an eyot or ait—lying just off Chiswick Mall. It is both an ancient withy bed, where willows were traditionally grown for basket-making, and a designated Local Nature Reserve. Its ecology is shaped by twice-daily tides, which bring nutrients but also erosion, invasive species, and the ongoing impact of river traffic.
The Old Chiswick Protection Society has been caring for the Eyot since its founding. Over the decades, OCPS volunteers have pollarded and replanted willows to stabilise the soil, repaired erosion caused by burrowing Chinese mitten crabs, and removed invasive Himalayan balsam. In recent years, OCPS and Thames21 have worked together under a shared management plan to protect the island’s banks, biodiversity, and historic landscape.
This work is only possible with the help of local volunteers—people willing to give a few hours to ensure the Eyot remains a thriving habitat for wildlife and a cherished part of Chiswick’s riverside heritage.
Thames21 has now confirmed the first conservation dates of the year. Sessions are tide-dependent, and even an hour or two of help makes a real difference. The first session of the year took place on Saturday 24 January.
Future Volunteer dates:
- Sunday 22 February, 11am–3pm
- Saturday 7 March, 10am–2pm
- Sunday 22 March, 10am–2pm
Volunteers meet at the drawdock at the bottom of Chiswick Lane.
No experience is required—just enthusiasm and a willingness to get muddy. Participants are encouraged to wear wellies, gardening gloves, and clothes they don’t mind getting dirty. Thames21 can usually provide gloves and boots if needed.
Chiswick Eyot is accessible only at low tide, and its delicate ecology means unsupervised visits can cause unintentional damage. Organised volunteer days are the safest and most effective way for the community to support its preservation. By joining even one session, residents help protect a rare riverside habitat, strengthen local biodiversity, and continue a centuries-old tradition of caring for this unique island.
Further background on the Eyot and the work of OCPS can be found at here.
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