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There are over three million gardens in Greater London – 3,267,174 to be precise. That’s an area of 37,942.09 hectares*.
In the face of climate change and habitat fragmentation, this massive expanse of green space has enormous untapped potential for both people and wildlife.
London Wildlife Trust’s Garden for a Living London campaign is calling on city gardeners to pledge to do one thing to create a wildlife and climate friendly garden, and help transform the capital’s three million gardens into a network of mini nature reserves. Pledge online now!
Three million mini nature reserves
London Wildlife Trust’s Garden for a Living London campaign aims to highlight the incredible importance of the capital’s gardens to wildlife and to people. In urban areas especially, gardens will help reduce the impacts of climate change.
They provide shade, absorb carbon, soak up flood water, retain water and help to cool the city. They also provide vital habitat for wildlife, and a strong network of wildlife and climate friendly gardens stretching across the capital will provide room for species to move freely and adapt to our changing climate.
The fact there are over three million gardens in Greater London shows just how important a resource they are. London Wildlife Trust has come up with seven gardening actions that would help create a ‘Living London’ – a city more resilient to climate change and better for wildlife.
We all have the power to make a huge difference and we all have a responsibility to do our bit. We are asking gardeners to take urgent action now and pledge to Garden for a Living London.
Londoners’ pledge
London Wildlife Trust wants gardeners to pledge to do one of seven things to make their garden more wildlife and climate friendly.
From something as simple as using mulch or planting a broad leaved tree, to digging a pond or creating a living roof, every one of London’s three million gardens could be made better for wildlife and more able to cope with the impacts of climate change.
Pledge online now and download a how to guide to get you started.
The seven pledges
1 Plant drought resistant plants
2 Plant a mixed hedgerow
3 Plant a broad leaved tree
4 Make a pond
5 Use mulch
6 Add a green roof to your shed
7 Wild up your decking
Gathering support
The Garden for a Living London campaign has attracted the attention of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
Commenting on the campaign, he said "London's gardens not only make life more pleasant for millions of people, they can also be a veritable treasure trove of wildlife.
"I have pledged to protect our gardens from being eaten up by developers, so I welcome the London Wildlife Trust's campaign to help us make our gardens havens for flora and fauna and help the city adapt to our changing climate".
Thames Water is supporting London Wildlife Trust’s Garden for a Living London campaign, as part of their commitment to London’s environment and water efficiency.
Richard Aylard, External Affairs and Sustainability Director for Thames Water explains: "Our customers and local communities are at the heart of everything we do, and we know that many of them are passionate about their gardens.
"By supporting the Garden for a Living London campaign we can help them to achieve wonderful results with a minimum of water".
Good news for gardens: London Wildlife Trust welcomes new laws on paving front gardens
From the 1st October 2008, planning permission will be required to pave over front gardens.
Carlo Laurenzi, Chief Executive of London Wildlife Trust, says: “London Wildlife Trust welcomes this new legislation, which will help protect our city’s gardens. There are over three million gardens in London. The capital’s gardeners can really make a difference to the city and its wildlife by doing one thing to create a wildlife and climate friendly garden".
Read more about the new legislation
Notes
* 3,267,174 gardens and 37,942.09 hectares source: Greenspace information for Greater London (GiGL). GiGL is the capital's open space and biodiversity records centre - they collate, manage and make available detailed information on London's wildlife, parks, nature reserves, gardens and other open spaces.
The figures include both front and back gardens, so in some instances there are two gardens per household.
The figures are based on Ordnance Survey Mastermap vector GIS dataset. Specifically, the calculations are based on a subset of this data where the legend attribute is ‘0000 Multiple surface (garden)’ (which is itself added to the OS data by Dotted Eye’s Interpose software during the conversion from GML to TAB format) and each feature is within the Greater London area (which includes all 33 boroughs).
One fifth of London is made up of gardens according to the Mayor’s Biodiversity Strategy, 2002