Natural England

Natural England launched ‘Natural London’ - their vision for London’s wildlife, landscapes and green spaces - at Roots and Shoots environmental education centre today (22nd September).

The vision is for London to have a natural environment that improves people’s quality of life and helps the capital achieve a secure environmental future.

Speaking at today’s Natural London launch event, Alison Barnes, Natural England’s Regional Director for London said ‘The natural environment matters to everyone in London. A healthy natural environment is an essential asset that provides the foundations for our prosperity and wellbeing. We will work with and support a wide range of partners to conserve and enhance London’s natural environment.”

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said “The launch of ‘Natural London’ provides a valuable contribution on how to improve and promote London's natural green spaces, as well as helping the capital prepare for the future effects of climate change on our parks and wildlife. London is one of the greenest cities in the world and one of my key priorities is maintaining and nurturing this position. I look forward to working with Natural England to achieve this through my ‘Priority Parks’ and ‘10,000 trees’ programmes, and in the implementation of the recently launched draft climate change adaptation strategy.”

Natural England has established three work programmes in London to help deliver the vision:

Wild London - will work to ensure that London’s unique habitats and wildlife and the natural landscapes they create are robust and healthy. Natural England will support a wide range of partners to carry out good land management and will encourage everyone living in and visiting London to enjoy and appreciate the capital’s best wildlife and finest landscapes.

Examples of this work include:

• Delivery of 81 agri-environment schemes. These schemes provide financial support to farmers and landowners to manage their land for the benefit of wildlife, landscape and access.
• Providing advice and support on London’s 36 Sites of Special Scientific Interest to make sure that these sites are managed in the best possible way.

Active London - will promote and secure accessible natural greenspace in the places where people live, work and play, and encourage people to use, appreciate and take action for the natural environment for the benefits it offers to their health, well-being and quality of life.

Examples of this work include:

• Trailing a series of projects that aim to ensure people can relax, play, exercise or just explore their local greenspace.
• Supporting the Walking the Way to Health initiative (WHI) which aims to get more people walking in their local communities, especially those who take little exercise or live in areas of poor health. There are 44 WHI in London, all of which offer walks that incorporate local greenspace.

Future London - will work to secure a green infrastructure within London (comprising the greenspace network and a greening of the built environment) that contributes to climate change adaptation, urban regeneration and sustainable development.

Examples of this work include:

• Establishing the Design for Biodiversity initiative. This initiative provides guidance for developers, architects, landscape designers and planners on how ecologically sensitive designs and features can be integrated into new and existing developments.

- Ends -

Notes to Editors:

For more information, photographs or to arrange interviews please contact:

Adam Elwell (Natural England)
Telephone: 0207 932 2212 or 07814501780
Email: adam.elwell@naturalengland.org.uk

Nigel Ellway (Natural England)
Tel no: 0207 932 2244 or 07900608204
Email: nigel.ellway@naturalengland.org.uk

Natural England
Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings – www.naturalengland.org.uk

Natural England works towards four outcomes:

• A healthy natural environment
• Enjoyment of the natural environment
• Sustainable use of the natural environment
• Asecure environmental future

Natural London Work programmes – the benefits

Wild London benefits will include:

• London’s Sites of Special Scientific Interest will be in favourable condition
• Parts of London will be characterised and recognised by the natural environment not just the built environment
• London’s finest natural landscapes and most wildlife rich places will be linked physically and conceptually to the wider greenspace network
• London Plan biodiversity targets will be met or exceeded
• Management of land will have improved through land management partnerships

Active London benefits will include:

• Londoners will use natural greenspace more often and appreciate its benefits
• More people will participate in healthy walking and green exercise schemes
• Areas of Deficiency (those areas which are more than 1km from an accessible site of importance for nature conservation) will have been eliminated
• There will be more and better green links to the greenspace network and between existing greenspaces
• The use of London’s finest landscapes and most wildlife rich places will clearly reflect London’s social and ethnic diversity
• Our health and access work will have benefited the full range of London’s communities, in particular the deprived and socially excluded

Future London benefits will include:

• Land-use planning will be a mechanism for promoting enhancement of the natural environment
• Existing biodiversity and landscape assets will be safeguarded through land-allocation and development control policies
• Green infrastructure and biodiversity conservation features will be integrated into the design of all new developments and new urban landscapes
• Regeneration projects will result in improved access to the natural environment
• Green roofs, river restoration, naturalistic sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and tree-planting within the urban fabric, will be standard climate change adaptation techniques

Roots and Shoots
Roots and Shoots provide vocational training for young people from the inner city, mainly from the London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. They aim to give young people the skills and confidence that will equip them for work - www.rootsandshoots.org.uk