New 14-mile ‘nature corridor’ set to revolutionise four east London boroughs

From parks to wetlands, there’s plenty of nature to be found around London.

But certain parts of the capital certainly have more wildlife than others, and while on the surface it might not seem like a big deal, it turns out it can actually make a real difference. 

We all know that city heat hits differently than other parts of the UK, but research has found that the more green infrastructure that’s added to urban spaces, the cooler the area feels.

According to the IPBES Assessment on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production, green corridors can actually cool neighbourhoods by up to 7°C.

So in a bid to cool the city down a little and bring a little more biodiversity to nature-deprived communities, a new 14-mile ‘nature corridor’ is being created in East London.

The project, which is being led by conservation charity Wild Cities, will stretch between the Lee Valley Regional Park and the Thames, running through four boroughs: Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Haringey, and Newham.

It will bring together ecologists, local authorities, residents, and cultural institutions like football clubs to connect the area, linking up isolated pockets of wildlife, such as community gardens, rooftops, canals, parks, and football grounds.

The goal is for these to become pathways ‘where pollinators can move, and ecosystems can recover’.

Wild Cities explained: ‘Every flower planted becomes a stepping stone. Multiplied across thousands of people and places, these small acts reshape the urban landscape, cool neighbourhoods, and bring communities closer to nature and to each other.’

The project supports the delivery of London’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which has identified the parts of the city where nature is in need of urgent attention and what can be done to help it flourish.

Online people have hailed the nature corridor as ‘important’, ‘epic’, ‘excellent’, and a ‘great initiative’.

As for why it’s so important, Christabel Reed, the co-founder of Wild Cities, said in a post on Instagram: ‘Urban nature is in crisis, not only for the pollinators, but we also have huge inequality when it comes to access to nature, even though we know that proximity and access to nature are foundational for mental health and our physical health as well.

‘When it comes to pollinators, you might not think these tiny creatures are important, but they are the bedrock of ecosystem health, meaning they are the bedrock for your health because we all rely on clean air, clean water, nutritious food from nutritious soils, and a stable climate to live, breathe, work, and eat properly in our lives.’

The charity is looking for people to get involved with the corridor, particularly anyone who lives, works, studies, or gardens along the 14-mile route.

If you’re keen, you can get in touch with Wild Cities here.

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