Environmental campaigner and conservationist Kabir Kaul, who played a leading role in the fight to save Warren Farm Nature Reserve in Southall, has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the King’s Birthday Honours.
Mr Kaul, 21, has been recognised for services to nature conservation and environmental education.
The award follows years of campaigning to protect Warren Farm, a former sports ground, which was eventually granted Local Nature Reserve status by Ealing Council in March this year. The site is home to more than a quarter of London’s breeding skylark population and is regarded as one of the capital’s most important urban grasslands.
A petition launched by the Brent River Park charity in 2021 calling for the site to be protected attracted more than 26,000 signatures.
Mr Kaul said: “It feels surreal to receive a BEM for my work in environmental advocacy. I still can’t believe it myself.
“I hope this recognition draws even more attention to the importance of nature in cities, integral to our health, wellbeing and climate resilience. I’m especially grateful to my friends at the Brent River Park Charity for their knowledge and dedication.
“When the petition to save Warren Farm was launched in 2020, securing protection for the site felt impossible, but the sheer commitment of the Charity and our supporters has recently made this a reality. Access to green and blue spaces is becoming even more relevant in Ealing and Hounslow through the proposed West London Regional Park, which I hope will enable many more communities to notice and appreciate the urban wildlife on their doorstep.”
Katie Boyles, chair of Brent River Park, said: “Kabir’s passion, dedication and leadership have inspired so many people and played a significant role in securing the future of Warren Farm. This award is richly deserved and recognises not only his achievements to date but also the enormous contribution he continues to make to nature conservation.”
Mr Kaul became a leading member in the campaign to safeguard Warren Farm from development and has worked with Brent River Park on a range of conservation projects.
He is also advising Brent River Park on plans for the proposed West London Regional Park, a major project intended to connect green and blue spaces from the Brent River Park corridor to the River Thames. The initiative has secured £2.5 million in funding, including £1.5 million from the Mayor of London and £1 million from the Nature Towns and Cities Programme, supported by the National Lottery.
Mr Kaul served on the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Youth Council between 2019 and 2025 and was a member of the Mayor of London’s Rewilding Taskforce from 2022 to 2023.
He is currently studying geography at the University of Birmingham and hopes to work in environmental policy after graduating next year.
 in the King's Birthday Honours.){kind=link}