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.
Leave it to beaver
In March, two wild beavers — Justin and Sigourney — were released at a six-hectare site in Enfield, and soon after that the Ealing Beaver Reintroduction Project published a statement of intent that it too was hoping to release the dam-building rodents. In the UK, beavers were hunted to extinction in the 16th century but the reintroduction isn’t just meant to be a corrective measure. Financier and non-executive director at Defra, Ben Goldsmith, recently used the heatwave to explain the regulating powers that beavers have on our landscapes: “It hasn’t rained in Somerset for months. And yet, there is coolness and water along every ditch and stream because we have beavers… How did it take us so long to figure out that this humble animal is the answer for breathing life back into our landscapes?”
Beavers are also a natural deterrent to flooding. The dams they build mean that water filters more slowly through the landscape so flooding downstream is avoided. As Enfield council’s deputy leader Ian Barnes explained when Justin and Sigourney were first released: “By exploring natural flood management techniques, such as this beaver project, we can reduce the risk of harm from flooding following extreme rainfall, protecting hundreds, if not thousands, of local homes.”
In July last year, more than 1,500 London homes and businesses were inundated after heavy rains, and experts have warned that thanks to climate change, flash floods are likely to become a more common occurrence. Obviously it will take more than an army of beavers to keep the capital safe from floods but the projects are a test to see how these animals might be managed to create ecologically-sound ways to aid human efforts.
Vole patrol
And they’re not the only useful animal being reintroduced to London’s waterways. This month, Get inVOLEd, a project backed by Khan’s Rewild London Fund, will reintroduce 200 water voles to the Hogsmill river in Kingston, where they haven’t been seen since 2017. Thanks to the work of conservation group Citizen Zoo, local volunteers have been trained to survey the river, identifying the most suitable locations in which to reintroduce the voles. Like beavers, water voles perform a vital role in maintaining biodiversity in watery environments. By creating burrowing networks, the water vole dries the surrounding wet soil, promoting soil microbial activity that regulates the availability of nitrogen, an important nutrient for plant growth.
As Professor Jens-Christian Svenning of Aarhus University, who recently joined the Supervisory Board of Rewilding Europe, explains: “Rewilding reinstates the natural processes that generated and maintained the earth’s rich biodiversity for millions of years before the advent of human society — as such, it not only allows nature to heal, but to scale up by itself, without any need for human intervention.” These rebalancing efforts will become an increasingly important weapon to help us fight against the harshest effects of climate change.
Horsing around
On drier land, Shire horses are being put to work in parks and on commons instead of petrol lawnmowers. Last month, Joey and William, two working Shire horses quickly drew a crowd of onlookers as they plodded in stately fashion up and down King George’s Park in Wandsworth. Employed by conservation group, Operation Centaur, they not only offer an eco-alternative to engine-powered methods but, as Andreas Liefooghe, its founding director, says they’re also amazing at engaging the community. “We get so many people coming up and saying, ‘my granddad used to work with horses, and we really miss seeing them’. There’s been so much said about loneliness and people being on their own in London, it’s heartening to see how everyone comes together when these animals are around.”
By using horses instead of heavy machinery, the soil is left less compacted which allows for more wildflowers to grow — and as Dr Cliff Henry, National Trust area ranger at the Giant’s Causeway, explains: “Wildflower meadows are such wonderful habitats that support a rich variety of insect life. In turn, other animals like hedgehogs, birds and bats need the insects to feed on. If one group of species is in decline, that can lead to the loss of many more.” And humans, as part of this ecosystem, could also be affected: “About 35 per cent of the world’s food crops need insects to pollinate them. The loss of pollinating insects could threaten our own food supply.” Plus flower-rich grasslands and meadows can store 500 per cent more carbon than fields of pure grass. That carbon capture is a massive boon as we strive towards a carbon-neutral society.
Isn’t the answer to just plant more trees?
Since 2016, 350,000 trees have been planted with carbon capture in mind. Of course, as more wildflowers and trees are planted, the rate of pollen in the air increases. For those suffering from allergies, this presents a problem. Pollen expert Dr Jean Emberlin points out that the grasses and trees we’re planting as part of our rewilding efforts in London will react with the polluted city air — to create a Molotov cocktail of nastiness for allergy sufferers. “The allergens on the pollen grains are changed by the chemicals in the air pollution,” she says. “For example, if you take pollen from birch trees in a rural area, and compare it with pollen from birch trees in Hyde Park, you will find the urban tree has stronger pollen, which makes it more likely to trigger a reaction.”
It’s a fine balancing act. Councils will need to focus on planting the right types of trees: avoiding birch, plane, alder and hazel that can trigger allergies, and favouring female varieties that capture excess pollen. Although London is just getting started on its rewilding drive, early indications are positive. For instance, sightings of kingfishers have increased by 450 per cent. As plans continue apace, the future looks bright for a totally wild capital.
How to rewild in your community
London Wildlife Trust
Volunteers aged 16-plus will have the chance to work with qualified professionals — they can manage grasslands, plant trees or lead “minibeast safari” classes for under-fives.
Thames21
Thames21 runs events along the Thames throughout the year for its “River Action Groups”. Attend an event and you could be picking up wet wipes and plastic bottles from the riverbanks, or pulling out larger items from the deeper waters.
The Wildlife Trust
The Thameside Nature Discovery Park, on the Thames Estuary, was once landfill — now it has been given back to nature. Volunteers can help with fence repairs and path maintenance, litter picking and raking, but there’s a chance too to help with habitat creation.
The Conservation Volunteers
These like-minded Londoners come together to make the city greener and more community focused. Volunteers can learn how to manage marsh and meadow lands, build ponds, and join a “Green Gym” that lets you exercise while exploring London’s hidden green spaces.
