wild spaces

400,000sqm of wild spaces created in the borough to help restore nature in Redbridge

Published: 18 July 2025

In efforts to help restore nature in Redbridge 400,000sqm of wild spaces have been created across the borough – that’s enough space to fit five Buckingham Palaces!

The State of Nature Report 2023 revealed that UK wildlife has declined by 19% since 1970, with 1 in 6 species at risk of extinction.

One of the ways Redbridge Council is supporting nature in the borough is by creating wild spaces, and encouraging local people to create wild spaces to.

Wild spaces create thriving habitats for local wildlife, including pollinators such as bees and butterflies, which are vital to our ecosystems.

They can be areas of any size and can be created in gardens, balconies, patios, community spaces, parks, and even school grounds – and it can be as simple as a few nectar-rich flowers in a pot or as extensive as a wildflower meadow, or a corner of an allotment. 

So far, 400,000sqm of wild spaces have been created in Redbridge - exceeding our original target of 160,000sqm

This has been achieved through a range of council backed greening schemes. These include: Aldborough Hall Nature Reserve – an extension of Fairlop Waters featuring wildflower nature zones, open grassland and ponds; and Redbridge ‘Grow Zones’ where the grass is cut less frequently in spaces identified as Grow Zones by the council to encourage the growth of wildflowers and attract wildlife.

Local people have also been supporting the creation of wild spaces through council-led projects including community gardens and mini orchards. Local gardening group, Woodford Greeners, were behind one of the most recent mini orchards in the borough.

Lydia Fraser-Ward, who was part of the group and led the project, said: “We noticed a local patch of land which was quite a sorry sight, so we contacted the council about adopting the space to restore it and bring it back into community use. Thanks to the hard work of nearly 80 volunteers, we turned that small area of land into a mini orchard with a wildflower meadow beneath it. It’s impact locally has been fantastic. It’s made the area more pleasant, and the trees and plants have become a haven for lots of lovely wildlife including birds and insects. It’s wonderful to see so many people come together to support our local environment and improve the area for everyone.”

Also contributing to the creation of local wild spaces are over 850 tree pits adopted across the borough by local people through Redbridge Council’s Adopt a Tree Pit and Pollinator Pathway schemes.

Tree pits are the soil area at the base of trees, which are perfect for planting. Through the scheme local people can apply to adopt their very own individual tree pit. They can also team up with neighbours to adopt all the tree pits on their street, along with any other nearby green areas, to become a Pollinator Pathway road.

A Pollinator Pathway is a corridor of pesticide free plants that connect different areas of habitat, encouraging pollinators such as bees to travel between them to access the food and shelter that they need.

By adopting a tree pit, or a whole street of tree pits, and planting wildflower seeds, communities can create their very own mini garden on their doorstep to help local wildlife thrive.

Additionally, under the Pollinator Pathways Scheme Redbridge Council has removed 4.2kms of highway from its herbicide spraying schedule to encourage natural wildlife habitats.

Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability Cllr Jo Blackman said: “Whether you have a windowsill, a balcony, an area at your school or office, or a private garden, you can get involved in helping create wild spaces and opportunities for nature to thrive. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to reverse the decline in UK wildlife, including through collective local action.”

Feeling inspired? Take the Restore Nature Pledge:

Redbridge Council’s Restore Nature Pledge is part of the Council’s commitment to work with local communities to create wild spaces in the borough.

Since launching the initiative in summer, enough pledges have been made so for by local people to create 40,000sqm of new wild spaces –that’s half the size of Buckingham Palace, and with more pledges on the way Redbridge’s wild spaces will continue to grow!

Take the pledge and commit to one or more of ten simple actions designed to support nature. For more information and to get involved go to: https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/our-streets/restore-nature-pledge/

Redbridge Council’s Neighbourhood Engagement team will also be on the road this summer - sharing information about the Restore Nature Pledge campaign and other greening initiatives, and how you can get involved. They will also have a limited number of free giveaways at each event, to help you get started with your pledges. Head to the roadshow stalls at the below events and locations:

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