After being mistaken for a traffic warden whilst doing some citizen science, checking young trees for Street Trees for Living yesterday, today I was accused of working for Lewisham Council whilst doing the samw thing. Everything was fine after I explained what I was doing. A real mixture of findings - one hawthorn appeared to be dead, but another 100 metres away was flourishing. Generally most seemed to be surviving despite the drought.

Today was the first time I've ever been mistaken for a traffic warden! i was doing some citizen science checking on the health of street trees in Lewisham planted in the last few years. It was an easy mistake to make - local traffic wardens always wear red leopard print shorts and GG tops and carry tape measures! A dozen or so trees checked in Catford, Lee and Blackheath, with a few more to do tomorrow.

On a lovely late summer evening what could be better that an evening wandering around Blythe Hill and Perry Vale helping assess the local flora. Tonight's task was to help Street Trees for Living, a group that has been planting, checking and maintaining trees in Lewisham and generally making the borough look lovelier for a good while.

We were met by the amazing Eva, Leonie and David from the Street trees team and after a brief intro it was down to work. The task was simple: we had to assess trees planted in the last three years to check things such as leaf and trunk health, the state of the ground and that the trees' supports were still adequate, The hardest thing was dealing with how slow the local phone signal was for loading up our assessments. The task came with the bonus of the three Good Gymers getting to explore some pretty local streets that we otherwise wouldn't ever have come across.

And the second bonus reflected the generosity of our hosts: once we were done we were all treated to a drink and snacks in the nearby Blythe Hill Tavern, a well deserved result after a delightful evening.

A follow from yesterday's session, this time around Grove Park. Around 20' checked, typically in a worse state than I saw yesterday, only one looking really healthy with a lot struggling in the heat.

I have a favourite tree which I hug most weeks - a 19th century oak; I fear there may be some jealousy from it as I hugged 29 trees planted in the last few years by the wonderful Street Trees for Living, whilst I was measuring their girth. It was a continuation of this week's group run.

The trees were a mixture of species in the now leafy streets of Lee. A few were struggling with the lack of rain and needed a good water, some needed a few repairs to supports and ties but generally they were well cared for and in good condition. Included in the 29 was a Honey Locust which had some wonderful seed pods.

Another large batch of Street Trees for Living trees surveyed - stretching from the last street in the south of Lewisham back to Lee. The start was inauspicious - three out of the first five had died; the rest were pretty healthy despite the drought conditions during the summer. There were quite a few bees in some of the trees.