Beavers are back in the capital and water voles are about to follow suit; Shire horses may soon be mowing your local common (if they aren’t already), and semi-wild habitats (which will amount to the size of 10 St James’s Parks) are to be created across the city. London is in the grip of a rewilding revolution — and according to climate experts, it couldn’t come soon enough.
Thanks to our industrialised history, the UK has become one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. More than one in seven species is facing extinction and more than 40 per cent are in decline. And in the capital especially, a lack of biodiversity has left us less able to adapt to a changing climate. To combat this, back in December, Mayor Sadiq Khan announced the creation of a £600,000 Rewild London Fund to help restore natural areas which have been depleted by decades of neglect. And we’re beginning to see the fruits of that investment.
