Nature Recovery in Harrow

Welcome to the Nature Recovery in Harrow engagement page.

This hub has been set up to provide stakeholders and the public with information on the projects and works that support the recovery of nature in Harrow. This includes upcoming events and engagement opportunities, frequently asked questions, useful documents and relevant links. We will be providing updates on what has been happening in the world of Harrow volunteering, exciting developments to our conservation projects, and interesting wildlife sightings across the borough. To stay updated, please follow this page by clicking the subscribe button over on the right.

What is Nature Recovery and why is it important?

'The UK, like most other countries worldwide, has experienced a significant loss of biodiversity. The trends in nature presented here cover, at most, 50 years, but these follow on from major changes to the UK’s nature over previous centuries. As a result, the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth.' - summary of the UK's State of Nature Report 2023.

Nature recovery aims to create resilient landscapes through natural restoration and nature-based solutions. This means looking at where healthy wildlife habitats are already present and how they might be enhanced, expanded, and linked.

The Nature Recovery Project, climate and local communities

Creating healthy places for us and for nature is one of four key themes of the London Borough of Harrow's Climate and Nature Strategy 2023-30. Funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), the project will seek to support nature’s recovery in Harrow by delivering a series of nature positive changes to areas within parks, open spaces, nature reserves, and other sites of importance for nature conservation, whilst assisting the activities and fostering the development of voluntary groups involved with these sites. However, it’s only possible for a local authority to do so much on its own.

Building on the incredible work of existing community groups such as Harrow Nature Conservation Forum and the various park users groups facilitated by Harrow Parks Forum, The Nature Recovery Project places London Borough of Harrow in and ideal position to provide appropriate support to facilitate action and enable volunteers to develop skills, experience and confidence, creating lasting outcomes beyond the timeline of this project.

The Story So Far

Wildflower Meadows

Last autumn we worked with local contractors and volunteers to create new wildflower meadows in three different sites: Newton Park West, Brockley Hill Open Space and Woodlands Open Space. Wildflower meadows are some of our most species rich habitats, providing food and habitat for a wides range of pollinating insects, birds and mammals. Sadly, the UK has lost a staggering 97% of it's wildflower meadows since the 1930s, and we are trying to help turn the tide and create more of this hugely diverse habitat. We already have several other sites identified for meadow creation this autumn, and we need your help to make it happen - stay tuned to this page for details of activities.

Ground Preparation and seed sowing at Woodlands Open Space:

Read more about why we need wildflowers on the WWF's website.

Tree Planting

Planting trees is one best ways in which we can tackle climate change, and establish more wooded areas commonly lost to human pressures. However, it can be easy to fixate on numbers when considering tree planting, and we are committed to the doctrine of planting 'the right tree in the right place' for it's better chances of survival, and to maximise the ecosystem services that trees provide, balanced against the needs of people.

Over the course of the project, we are aiming to plant 1000 native species of trees and shrubs to safeguard the future of trees in Harrow. Working in partnership with local Friends Groups and wardens from Harrow Nature Conservation Forum, last winter we took a big step towards this target, planting 816 trees in various sites across the borough including Woodlands Open Space, Stanmore Marsh, Pinner Rec and Bentley Priory. Although we are well on our way to achieving our target, we have a lot more planned for this coming winter and will need the help and support of dedicated volunteers to achieve our goals. Keep an eye on our upcoming activities for details.

Developing new Friends Groups - Riverside Park

As stated above, a local authority can only do so much to to directly facilitate nature's recovery; to create lasting outcomes for both people and nature, we need to work cooperatively with local communities to facilitate a sense of ownership, and establish a legacy of care for our natural capital. Since last summer, Luke (Harrow's Nature Recovery Ranger), with the help of The Conservation Volunteers, has been working with a team of local volunteers to help establish a programme of regular volunteering at one of our Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation - Riverside park. Now a fully fledged Friends Group under the Harrow Parks Forum, the group meet monthly to conduct various habitat and site management activities, to help make Riverside Park a flourishing space for nature and people to enjoy.

Fence repairs and Riverfly monitoring at Riverside Park:

What's coming up?

Yeading Brook Unbound

Yeading Brook Unbound seeks not only to re-naturalise the western arm of the stream but - within the wider scope of the River Crane catchment - to celebrate what it adds to individual sites for people and for wildlife, now and for the future, and the connection it provides between them. Working closely with parks and allotment groups, Harrow Nature Conservation Forum, the Crane Valley Catchment Partnership, and the Environment Agency, Harrow Council by ‘rewiggling’ the stream or creating more natural banks - benefitting wildlife and reducing flood risk, undertaking instream interventions and ‘daylighting’ the water, tackling scrub encroachment and invasive species that impact adversely on water quality and on wildlife. The project will focus on a c. 3.5 km of the watercourse between Headstone Manor and Roxbourne Park, identifying major works for contractors and creating survey, monitoring, training and practical opportunities for volunteers.

Rubble removal at Streamside Open Space:

Have a read of the draft Vision document for more information about Yeading Brook Unbound, and follow this page for progress updates.

Back 2 The Future

Thanks to securing funding from the Rewild London Fund, we will be undertaking another ambitious project to support the activities and the development of the HNCF wardens and volunteer team at Stanmore Common, undertaking further restoration of heathland and acid grassland at Harrow’s wildest site and seeking to recover lost species and open up now heavily shaded areas. Lowland heathland and acid grasslands are both priority habitats for the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, and are the focus of much important work to enhance restore and recover nature in London.

Bentley Priory SSSI

In support of the Bentley Priory Wardens and their efforts in managing Harrow's only SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), we will be leading two monthly volunteer days working on various management projects help maintain the beauty and splendour of Bentley Priory. These may involve clearing non-native invasive species and replacing with natives trees & shrubs; coppicing trees to create woodland glades; managing encroachment of scrub onto species-rich grasslands; repairing fencing for our English Longhorn Cattle; or maintaining ponds to name but a few.

Project days are the second Monday and fourth Saturday of each month.