The London Rewilding Taskforce is a non-statutory time-limited expert advisory forum recently convened by the Mayor of London. Its role is to provide advice on the potential for rewilding in London considered practical and sustainable that would contribute to the conservation and enhancement of nature and biodiversity, and/or increase ecosystem services. It will also seek to communicate what rewilding means in London to a broader public audience and engage Londoners in action to rewild the city.
Responses to the following key questions are invited from individuals and organisations:
1. Rewilding and Existing Nature Recovery Practice in London - How can rewilding be best used to improve and enhance London’s ecological network, adding value to the work already being undertaken to help conserve and enhance nature in the capital? What does or could rewilding add to existing nature conservation best practice in London, e.g., would it provide a more successful approach to managing certain sites to restore nature within the greater London area? Or does it provide a more helpful term to describe nature recovery for wider appeal?
2. Role of Rewilding in Cities - What are the main benefits and challenges of adopting the rewilding approach in an urban context such as London’s? Are there examples of rewilding approaches in urban/peri-urban areas that the Taskforce can draw from that are relevant to London?
3. Rewilding Opportunities in London - Are there any specific rewilding opportunities within GLA boundaries, or areas that cross the GLA boundary, that the Taskforce should explore? Are there potential negative consequences of rewilding in London that should inform the Taskforce’s work?
4. Funding and Policies - What resources or support should be provided by Government, local institutions, the private sector and other actors to support rewilding projects? Is the current policy framework sufficient to accelerate rewilding in London?
5. Species Reintroductions as part of Rewilding - Can keystone species that exert landscape scale effects be accommodated in rewilding initiatives in London? Are there species that are iconic and/or inspire engagement with nature that are suitable or appropriate to reintroduce in London?
To contribute, please send submissions to the Taskforce or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Senior Policy and Programme Officer, GLA.
The deadline for submissions is Monday, 20 June 2022.
More information on the Taskforce can be found on the London Rewilding Taskforce webpage.
We are currently forming an LNHS working group to discuss the issues surrounding rewilding in London, as well as any potential strategies arising from Mayor Sadiq Khan’s London Rewilding Taskforce. If you would like to join, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details.
