London will be “rewilded” with new nature reserves, pocket parks and community involvement to bring nature back to the capital. The plans are to support nature recovery and enhance biodiversity, while bringing benefits to Londoners and addressing the climate and ecological emergency. A group of rewilding experts commissioned by the mayor, Sadiq Khan, are in the early stages of drawing up the proposal.

The London Rewilding Taskforce is a time-limited advisory group. Their role is to explore potential opportunities for rewilding in London to support nature recovery and enhance biodiversity, while bringing benefits to Londoners and addressing the climate and ecological emergency. The key aims of the Taskforce are to:

• Consider how rewilding practices could inform conservation land management in London to support recovery of nature across the capital and how this could be funded.
• Build consensus on what rewilding means in London, where practical opportunities might exist, and how rewilding might be incorporated into the development of a Local Nature Recovery Strategy for London.
• Communicate what rewilding means in London to a broader public audience and engage Londoners in action to rewild the city.

The Mayor announced that he would establish the London Rewilding Taskforce in December 2021, alongside the launch of the Rewild London Fund. The Taskforce will meet three times between Spring to Autumn 2022. 

Read more about their plans in this Guardian article.

The Taskforce is made of 14 experts representing the public, private, and third sectors, as well as, youth and the environmental news media: 

• Shirley Rodrigues, GLA, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy (Chair)

• Nicky Gavron, London Recovery Board, Board Member – Environment (Vice Chair)

• Ben Goldsmith, Defra, Non-Executive Board Member; Menhaden Capital Management LLP, CEO (Vice Chair)

• Pamela Abbott, Citizen Zoo, Non-Executive Director

• Ian Barnes, TV & Film Director; London Borough of Enfield, Former Deputy Leader of Enfield Council

• Liz Bonnin, The Wildlife Trusts, President; Natural History & Environmental Broadcaster

• Nick Bruce-White, RSPB, Operations Director – South England

• Alastair Driver, Rewilding Britain, Director

• Mathew Frith, London Wildlife Trust, Director of Research and Policy

• Ruth Lin Wong Holmes, London Legacy Development Corporation, Head of Landscape

• Stefania Horne, City of London Corporation, Superintendent for Hampstead Heath and North London

• Kabir Kaul, Young Conservationist

• Isabella Tree, Knepp Castle Estate, Conservationist and Author

• John Tweddle, Natural History Museum, Head of Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity