The activity of the Mayor of London involves the promotion of programmes aimed at ensuring the development of the city in many directions. For example, great attention is paid to the financing of projects in the field of culture and art. It isn’t surprising because London is one of the most popular tourist centres in the world. However, there are spheres that require no less support. One of these is the preservation of natural objects. The Rewild London Fund plays an important role in the development of this issue. What was the impetus for the creation of the fund and what are its main features? Learn more at londonname.
Prerequisites for the fund creation and its main goal
Great attention has been paid to the preservation of London’s green zones after the coronavirus pandemic. That period has changed the lives of many Londoners. After the introduction of certain restrictions, people started to walk in parks and other natural areas of the city. Then the problem of climate change and nature preservation became more relevant than ever before. Of course, the city had various funding programmes even before the pandemic. For example, the Greener City Fund was very active in London from 2016 to 2021. However, people wanted change. All of this laid the foundation for the creation of the Rewild London Fund. Its purpose is to support the owners of objects important for nature preservation. The fund’s financing of various projects ensures resistance to extreme environmental and climatic challenges.
Achieving goals and implementing projects
The Rewild London Fund enables the implementation of the most daring ideas related to the preservation and restoration of green areas in various parts of the city. In particular, the third round of the Rewild London Fund, which ended in November 2023, resulted in the allocation of £1,030,183 for the implementation of 21 projects. Their realisation began in January 2024. The topics and subjects of these projects differ, but the general goal remains the same. It consists in creating and preserving wildlife habitats throughout the city.
Photo source: Citizen Zoo
Representatives of various organisations proposed the fund with various ideas for the ecological development of London. For example, one such project involved the restoration of 30 hectares of lowland meadows near the River Thames. It was a collaboration between the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Citizen Zoo and The Community Brain. Its aim was large-scale restoration of the local landscape, which would provide an opportunity for animals to graze and also make the area more suitable for wild animals. Another interesting project was the creation of wetlands in Riverside Gardens. Its aim was to improve water quality and preserve local aquatic vegetation, invertebrates and fish. It can also be called a repurposing of the wetland environment. Another project that was awarded funding was focused on the preservation of the natural environment in the Stanmore Common reserve. It is home to animals that are unlikely to be found in any other parts of London. So its restoration really needed financial and volunteer support. The idea of expanding the territory of the meadow in Westminster also became relevant. It included the sowing of wildflowers in the area nearby. Another suggested idea was planting trees, ferns, grasses and wildflowers in Bunhill Fields. The result of such a project was the attraction of birds and butterflies to the area. The fund’s operation also includes various research and educational events. All of this is only a small part of the Rewild London Fund’s achieved results, which shows the importance of the implementation of ecological ideas.