London National Park City: What Does It Mean?
London, the bustling and culturally rich English capital, is also one of the greenest cities in the world. Hard to believe ?
The city of London is composed of 50% green and blue (water) spaces, meaning that half of the seemingly bustling and crowded capital - is nature. The city contains thousands of parks, community gardens, green spaces, rivers, and canals. How many gardens are there in the city? 3.8 million gardens.
London is home to 8.6 million residents and 8.3 million trees, almost one tree per resident. In addition to trees, London is home to 14,000 different and diverse species and dozens of protected natural areas [1].
So, let's think of London not only as a political and economic capital but also as a significant ecological center. And there is a lot to learn from it!
How can we connect residents more to nature in the city?
The vision of Greater London speaks of creating accessibility for all city residents to nature by expanding the green and natural areas in the city with maximum accessibility for all children and adults. The vision is being realized by enriching the diversity of species and accessibility to it from all parts of the city, all of which are done by promoting the city as a "National Park City."
What does that mean? Here's the answer.
London National Park City: A Grassroots Movement to Green, Heal, and Wilden London
In 2019, London became a National Park City. The London National Park City (LNPC) movement is a grassroots initiative that aims to make London greener, healthier, and wilder through a wide range of actions. The entire city has been declared a natural park, with the support of the Mayor of London and 260 partner organizations.
How does the organization work?
The organization is based on a large group of volunteers called rangers. There are over 150 rangers, residents of all ages from all over the city with a wide range of skills, who volunteer according to their neighborhood of residence, their interests, and the natural projects in their neighborhood [2].
Through their volunteer work, they commit to supporting both London's National Park and the ranger community in developing new initiatives, integrating the movement, and drawing on their expertise in field work [2].
The rangers are kept up to date on what is happening in their district and can participate in and take part in nature conservation activities. There is an emphasis on knowledge transfer between rangers - through a communication platform that connects all volunteers in the city, allowing them to carry out joint activities, ask questions, provide information in different fields, and create shared learning throughout the city.
The LNPC office and visitor center opened on Fleet Street in 2024, in the heart of London. Photo: Romy Chillag.
London National Park City: Sharing Knowledge and Inspiration with the World
The London National Park City (LNPC) movement is now also working internationally to share knowledge and inspiration with other cities around the world, expanding the model to other cities and creating National Park Cities around the globe. For example, Rotterdam, Adelaide, Glasgow, Chattanooga, and who will be next?
Earth Day Event - A Family-Friendly Earth Day Celebration
The LNPC Earth Day event took place on Sunday, April 20th, 2024, at the Stratford Hotel and the nearby community garden, both located in East London. The hotel hosted a variety of family-friendly Earth Day workshops, including Eco-arts and crafts, Plant power, Woodland crafts, Birdhouse building, Green roof tour.
The event was designed to raise awareness about the importance of environmental protection and to encourage people to take action to address the climate crisis.
These events are part of the LNPC's annual environmental calendar, which aims to raise awareness of environmental issues. Rangers and volunteers from across the city came to help run the stations at the event.
There is a growing recognition of the importance of having green spaces and nature sites in every neighborhood, even in the heart of the city. These spaces provide a place for people to connect with nature and to learn about the importance of environmental protection.
The Earth Day event was a great example of how community organizations can work together to promote environmental awareness and action. Events like this can be a powerful tool for connecting people with nature and for inspiring them to make positive changes in their lives.
Earth Day activities for kids to promote environmental awareness.
Earth Day celebration at the community garden, The LightHouse and Gardens, East London.
Hampstead Heath: An amazing Nature site in London
A Wild Park with Forests and Open Spaces
For anyone in London, Hampstead Heath is a must-visit. With its forests and open spaces, many areas of Hampstead Heath look more like a nature reserve than a city park. This wild park is located near the center of London, in the borough of Camden, close to the Hampstead neighborhood. It has served as a green retreat for city residents for over 200 years and boasts stunning views.
A Long Struggle to Preserve a "Green Lung" for Londoners
Hampstead Heath exists today thanks to a long struggle in the 19th century to preserve this "green lung" for the benefit of London's residents. To understand the significance of this struggle, it's important to recognize the growing importance of nature in cities during the late 19th century [3]
This was largely driven by the concept of the Garden City, a theory that originated in England and advocated for the integration of nature into urban areas. Tel Aviv is also considered a Garden City, and I will be writing a separate blog post about it.
The Garden City theory emphasized the creation of a green belt surrounding the city, blending nature seamlessly into the urban fabric.
How to Help Preserve Hampstead Heath for Future Generations
Hampstead Heath is a precious resource that we all have a responsibility to protect. Fortunately, there are many ways to get involved and help conserve this natural haven for future generations.
The view from a bench on the hill of Hampstead Heath, overlooking the city.
Heath Hands: A Community-Driven Conservation Effort
One of the most effective ways to support Hampstead Heath is through the work of Heath Hands, a volunteer organization that has been dedicated to preserving the park's natural beauty for over 25 years. Heath Hands engages people of all ages and backgrounds in a variety of conservation activities, ensuring that these green spaces continue to provide a refuge for wildlife and people alike.
Working with the Community to Protect Green Spaces
The Heath Hands team leads thousands of volunteers and hundreds of groups throughout the year, believing that everyone has a role to play in safeguarding open spaces. Their goals encompass: Conservation and restoration of natural habitats, Community engagement, Education and monitoring, Creating a space for physical and mental well-being [4]
Volunteer Opportunities in Summer 2024
They offer a variety of engaging activities, such as Litter picking, gardening and guided morning walk sessions, that you can join for free [5].
These activities are a great way to get involved, connect with the community, and make a positive contribution to the preservation of Hampstead Heath.
Preservation of ancient trees at Hampstead Heath Nature Reserve. The power of trees for our physical and mental well-being is evident.
Holland Park: A Public Park with a Protected Ecological Area
A beautiful park, near the Noting Hill neighborhood, Nestled in the heart of London's vibrant Kensington district. You can see nature of several types, lawns, areas of an ecological reserve with seasonal blooms, Japanese gardens and playgrounds for children.
Spanning across 54 acres, the park is a beloved destination for both locals and visitors alike, providing a welcome respite from the urban bustle.
A Diverse Landscape for All to Enjoy
The northern part of the park is a wild forest, the central part is botanical gardens, and the southern part is used for sports. The park has a cafe, a cricket pitch, a tennis court, two Japanese gardens - the Kyoto Garden, established in 1991, and the Fukushima Memorial Garden, established in 2012, a youth hostel and a playground. Squirrels and peacocks can be seen in the garden.
The Holland Park Ecology Centre: Connecting with Nature
Was established in 2013, operated by the borough's ecology service, offers environmental education programs that include nature walks, lectures, programs for schools and activity programs for children.
The Holland Park Ecology Center invites schools to a unique experience of learning in nature. Field trips, forest school programs, independent tours or two-hour environmental educational workshops throughout the year.
Adapted learning: The experienced center staff works in collaboration with the education teams of each group, to formulate a personal curriculum that will suit the specific needs of the children, and an open class for children with special needs, offering a variety of unique learning environments in nature.
A closed area for ecological restoration within an urban public park
In conclusion
The natural areas in the city are significant to our lives. For the strengthening of the physical and mental health, for the growth of our children, for the sustainability, community and belonging values of the residents and of course for the strengthening of the ecosystem.
In this blog I will continue to review interesting examples from around the world of communities that nurture and volunteer in parks and nature within the big cities.
The natural sites around us allow each one of us to take advantage of the potential inherent in us, learn new things about nature and ourselves and develop into something greater than ourselves, contribute from ourselves, shape the future and create a new reality.
Especially in this period, let's create an urban community that nurtures nature!
Also go to London to learn from them.
Romy Chillag 🌻
Information sources
Comentários