HOW URBAN REWILDING CAN CLEAN UP LONDONERS LUNGS

By emma Tegg

Why We Need Cleaner Air

It’s a Wednesday morning as I cram myself onto the Northern line and breathe in the same amount of particulate matter pollution as smoking a cigarette. With the highest number of weekly passengers, the Northern Line exposes commuters to particle pollution levels six times above the World Health Organisation’s limit. Particle pollution, also known as particulate matter, consists of tiny particles linked to numerous health problems.

Yet concerns of polluted air shouldn’t be reserved for London commuters, polluted air is ubiquitously breathed in by 99% of the global population It’s coming from our cooking stoves, cars, power stations, waste incinerators and more Health-wise, air pollution is closely linked to physical conditions such as lung and heart disease, cancer and asthma However, it can also affect dementia, depression, brain development and infertility

Cleaner air is vital for social equity and climate action as access to a healthy environment is a fundamental human right. Meanwhile, the negative health repercussions strain healthcare systems and weaken the population’s wellbeing. Fortunately, there is light at the end of this Northern line tunnel, and it lies in the innovative ways urban rewilding can breathe fresh air into London’s smoggy streets.

URBAN REWILDING- WHAT IS IT?

Rewilding often conjures up images of expansive plains, grazing bison or reintroduced wolves Urban rewilding aims to similarly restore natural processes by reintroducing nature on a city scale By balancing the needs of humans and wildlife, a more harmonious landscape can be created for all to enjoy.

It takes shape in many forms, from planting wildflowers to designing greener urban spaces and forging new ideas of what cities could look like. It’s time to forgo our congested cities and visualise a brighter, cleaner future.

How it works

Admittedly, urban rewilding is not a panacea for climate change in its entirety, but it can contribute towards the cooling of cities during heatwaves and changing water flows to assist with flood mitigation In terms of air pollution, more plants help capture carbon dioxide and harmful pollutants like particulate matter

As a bonus, it’s well documented that just looking at more green spaces improves one ’ s mood and reduces stress

Urban Rewilding In London

WILDLIFE

London is embracing some innovative approaches to rewild the city and tackle the city’s problem with air pollution In 2021, London City Hall committed £600,000 to a ‘Rewild London’ fund that aims to restore 20 to 30 sites across London. One of these projects involves reintroducing water voles to a local river, where the voles are tracked with cameras and monitored via bioacoustic devices.

Water voles can help ecosystem restoration and in turn, bring in more birds, bees and butterflies. Along this vein of species reintroductions, two beavers, Justin and Sigourney, were recently released to a six-hectare enclosure in Enfield, North London. The pair are the first beavers to return since the species was hunted to extinction 400 years ago.

Nature Corridors

Imagine walking under railway arches and spotting bridges of greenery and blooming flowers overhead Conservationists are working to make this vision a reality by creating ‘nature corridors’ across canals and train lines The corridors will provide wildlife with a much-needed means to bridge the barriers put in place by human activity

Pocket Parks

Somewhere between Hyde Park and a private garden lies a ‘pocket park’, created in 2013 to provide more natural spaces in London. Pocket parks are small green spots up to 0.4 hectares in size and range from community orchards to edible bus stops.

As refreshing as these beacons of nature are, the benefits and risks of urban rewilding schemes should be carefully considered. For example, poorly managed wild verges or corridors can trap road-side air pollution by reducing air flow and dually provide a source of pollen For the best-case scenario, the positioning and plants used should be evaluated by urban planners, botanists, atmospheric scientists, public health officials and local councils

Recreation of the Thames Flood Plain

There is more innovation occurring through the recreation of the Thames flood plain, where the ‘Rewilding Arcadia’ project in Richmond restores the natural habitat for various species; serving as a carbon sink and crucially protecting parts of London from high flood risks[1]. According to Thames 21, 27km of the Thames has been improved since 2000.

Living Walls and Super Trees

Living walls may not be a text-book rewilding approach but they nonetheless boast architectural and green innovation. At the London School of Economics, the first green wall was constructed on site which regulates temperature, ameliorates aesthetics, provides an ideal habitat for wildlife and improves local air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.

More living walls can be found at the Elephant and Castle tube station, Regal House in Covent Garden and Paddington Central to name a few There is also an interior living wall in Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 3, composed of 1680 plants including the English native ivy and peace lily

In the future, perhaps London could take a leaf out of Singapore’s book and implement the infamous ‘Super Tree’ groves that are made from reinforced concrete and wrapped in a steel frame. The ‘trees’ create a living sheath of flora as planting panels are installed along trunks. (You can see how amazing they are in the background!)

Both man-made and more naturalistic rewilding innovations are welcome in cleaning up London’s air and providing more green spaces for all to enjoy.