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A few years ago I went to a conference at the London Garden Museum where a number of naturalists and managers of London wildlife centres were talking
I was struck by their notion that plants and animals were flooding into the capital to escape the toxic countryside that surrounds the city, producing a kind of urban ecotopia
Cheers
Tim
From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Simon Cook
Sent: 01 April 2014 10:38
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: What if London was a National Park?
Dear Crit-Geog Colleagues,
I'd just like to share a campaign that was officially launched today that is a geographical provocation and provides some possibilities for the future of London (and cities more broadly).
It asks what if London was a National Park? The team behind it see no reason why London couldn't sit alongside other National Parks as its breadth of habitats and diversity of wildlife rival existing parks.
To find out more do check out the website http://www.greaterlondonnationalpark.org.uk/ and your support, thoughts and debates would be much appreciated.
Below is the Press Release which contains greater details.
Best,
Simon Cook
Royal Holloway University of London
Greater London National Park* Opens
The Greater London National Park* was launched today, celebrating the importance and diversity of London’s urban habitat. It may sound like an April Fools’ joke, but it is not.
It is only a “notional park” for now, but geographer Daniel Raven-Ellison is calling for the public to back the idea.“There is this idea that a National Park has to be remote and rural, but cities are incredibly important habitats too. An amazing 13,000 species of wildlife can be found in London’s open spaces which together make up 60% of the Greater London National Park*. In London we have peregrine falcons, 13 species of amphibian and reptile, pigeons, over 8 million people and countless dogs and cats too. The Greater London National Park* celebrates all life.”
National Parks are currently funded by central government to conserve and enhance natural beauty, wildlife and their cultural heritage; and promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of National Parks by the public. These objectives could be applied to a city like London as well the countryside.Raven-Ellison makes clear that he is not proposing any changes to planning policy in the capital, or that the Greater London National Park* would have the planning powers that so many residents in current National Parks dislike.
“I am proposing a new kind of National Park – an ‘urban’ National Park that would aim to conserve and promote London’s awesome ability to be dynamic, innovate and evolve. The Park’s role would be to inform and inspire best practice, while helping to better co-ordinate and promote London’s biodiversity and recreational opportunities, especially those in outer London.”
Raven-Ellison, a geographer and National Geographic Emerging Explorer, argues that the park would create a new way to see and think about London.
“How would being a National Park change the way we live, work and play in the city? How would we educate children, design buildings, plan health services or create new leisure activities differently if we started thinking of London as a National Park?”
“It’s a bit of an outside-of-the box curve ball, but sleep on it and you will realise what a great idea it is. Being the world’s first National Park city would celebrate and consolidate London’s position in the world as a leading, green world city that invests in the health and wellbeing of its people, which is great for both new and mature business and employees. Besides, wouldn’t you like to live in London and a National Park at the same time? I know I would!”
Raven-Ellison is asking the public to support his idea by adding their name to[http:// www.greaterlondonnationalpark.org.uk] www.greaterlondonnationalpark.org.uk (GLNP).
*Officially just a Notional Park.
Contact details
Twitter: @LondonNP @DanRavenEllison
Help to make the Greater London National Park*
To help turn this notional park into a reality:
1. Add your name to our Change.org petition to the Mayor of London.
2. Join this Thunderclap to help reach even more people.
3. Share pictures to show how awesome the #GreaterLondonNationalPark* (#GLNP) is!
The Greater London National Park* in numbers
· 1,572 km² in area
· 7th largest National Park* in the UK
· 300 languages spoken
· 8.3 million people
· 152 miles – London’s orbital footpath which is longer than most national trails
· 13,000 species of wildlife
· 13 species of reptile and amphibian within the M25
· 3.8 million gardens
· 2 Special Protection Areas
· 3 Special Areas of Conservation
· 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
· 2 National Nature Reserves
· 36 Sites of Special Scientific Interest
· 142 Local Nature Reserves
· 1300 sites are recognised by the GLA as being of value to wildlife
· 30,000 allotments
· 3000 parks
· Lots of cats and dogs
According to GiGL’s Greenspace Information for Greater London, 2013 (http://www.gigl.org.uk/our-data-holdings/keyfigures/):
· 60% is open and undeveloped land
· 47% green space
· 24% domestic gardens
· 22% Green Belt
· 6% sports areas
· 2.5% river, canals and reservoirs