Partner Organisation: Natural Neighbours
Location: London, UK
How can we bring the wonders of the natural world to the 9.6 million people in England living in neighbourhoods without gardens or greenspaces? How can we expose the 90%¹ of UK school children that don’t regularly play in natural areas to the benefits of nature? And how biodiverse can our cities ultimately become?
We warmly welcome Alliance Partner Natural Neighbours, that seeks to address these questions with their vision of towns and cities that reach their full potential to host wildlife. Urban rewilding does more than boost biodiversity and climate resilience. It promotes individual and collective social wellbeing, as people become more connected with nature, their communities and themselves.
Research shows that every 10% increase in urban tree cover is linked with a 15% reduction in violent crime.² Why?
When people feel they have a stake in their local area, they begin to act more as a community rather than as individuals. Green neighbourhoods are likely more inviting, making them safer. This explains why Natural Neighbours’ goal (more biodiverse and better connected habitat) is focused specifically on engaging residential and communal spaces.
School parents planting Spring bulbs as part of wildflower meadow creation. Photo credit: Natural Neighbours.
Daubney School in East London is Natural Neighbours’ first and flagship 1-hectare project. They replaced asphalt and fake grass with unmown clover lawns, fruit trees, vegetable beds and a pond. By introducing these “habitat hotspots” and involving the community in their creation, they’ve turned a forgotten space into an area that brings neighbours together to give children a chance to connect deeply with wildlife from a young age. Check out the transformation here: Daubney Project Video.
Photo credit: Natural Neighbours
Natural Neighbours believe that experiencing a healthy daily dose of nature should be a human right. Millions of people living in towns and cities are currently denied this right, with those in the most deprived areas being the worst affected. By collaborating across communities Natural Neighbours are reconnecting both people and nature, so that much-loved creatures like hedgehogs and bumblebees can also thrive in built-up, urban areas.
Want to bring this vision to your neighbourhood? Reach out to the Natural Neighbours team at to learn how you can get involved.
References:
1. Louv, Richard. (2005). Last child in the woods: saving our children from nature-deficit disorder.
2. Greater tree canopy cover is associated with lower rates of both violent and property crime in New Haven, CT. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169204615001607
3. The relationship between tree canopy and crime rates across an urban–rural gradient in the greater Baltimore region. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169204612000977
